Espada, Reborn
by I Palindrome I
Summary: The tale of the espada after their defeat. Characters will discover feelings and powers beyond their wildest imaginations. Observe as they brave the path of life beyond death and discover new feelings and powers. Rated T for language and violence.
1. Prologue: Unmasked

Foreword: I know that the espada technically went to hell because of the recent prologue to the hell chapter, but this is purely for the sake of speculation. I have six chapters and one intermission already pre-written. Only posting the first chapter and prologue until I get **demands for moar.**

About the author: Yeah, I know this is kind of pretentious of me to do this section but I figured this information would be somewhat pertinent. I had not watched a single episode of Bleach until **January 2nd, 2011****.** I was pointed to the series by a good friend of mine and fell in love with the show ever since the soul society arc. It took me about two and a half weeks, but in that time I watched the whole anime, side arcs and all, and read up to the most recent issue of the manga. I have no life, right? But anyway, it was nice, because I was reminded of how much I loved anime as a child, my favorite shows being G Gundam and Sailor Moon (shut up, it was a good show). I am writing this because I feel the espada characters were not elaborated enough and deserved some good analytical spotlight. Here's to them.

Preface: My intention with these installations/chapters is to have at least half the amount of substance as one manga chapter usually would. The chapters (excluding intermissions) will usually be over 1,000 words each. Yes, they're going to be short, but that's because I don't want to bore you to death. I am trying to go for the most anime-resembling feeling with all of these writings. I will stick to canon as much as I can in order to make the intrigue that much more… intriguing. I hope you all enjoy the direction I take the story in the later chapters. These first few chapters are just to acquaint you with the situation that they are in in terms of logic. I promise to make it somewhat more thematically and emotionally engaging later on. Constructive comments or new ideas are appreciated, so long as they're not dumb :)

Final note: I do not own the rights to any of these characters or Bleach-specific terminology, Tite Kubo and his associates do. Enjoy.

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**Prologue: Unmasked**

"Where am I? How am I keeping my memory and my soul joined in this place?" thought Starrk. He was floating around in darkness, but could barely feel his physical form. He wasn't in the passage world, and there were no spirit particles so it couldn't have been the world between Hueco Mundo and a garganta. He dwelled some more on his situation. "That's right; I was killed by Captain Kyouraku."

After that thought, he waited for several days. "Am I… going to have to spend eternity here?" Starrk is unaware of the situation he is in, but it seems as though he is going to have to experience loneliness all over again.

That is, until he heard a familiar voice:

"Starrk, is that you?"

Starrk gasped with unfathomable surprise, "Lily...nette?"

"Starrk! You're okay!" Lilynette cheered with glee. However, the happiness of their reunion is short lived as there is an abrupt shift that destabilized their dimension. They were both shaken by this quake-like force.

"What was that? Are you alright, Lilynette?"

"Yes, but it feels like we're being pulled toward that hole."

'Wait, what hole?' Starrk thought. He looked down to see a portal linked to a verdant forest.

"What should we do, Starrk?"

"Lilynette… hold on to me." She complied, and he used his remaining spirit force to push the two of them toward the portal.

* * *

Starrk was lying on his back, arms stretched out, unconscious. He slowly began to wake up. He gained a little strength and lifted his hand in front of his face.

'This light… it's almost unbearable, even with these trees in the way.'

'Wait… trees?'

Starrk leaped up to find himself in the environment that the portal was linked to. Foliage surrounded him; leaves fell as the wind flowed through the forest. However when he looked up he couldn't find a trace of any such portal. He came to his senses and realized that he was in a coherent physical form once more.

'Wait, then where did Lilynette go?'

"Lilynette. Lilynette? Lilynette? Lilynette!"

"Shut up, dummy, I'm in here."

He looked down and saw a sheathed katana on his hip, its tsuba made of four silver wolves circling the blade and its hilt wrap and scabbard were a pale pastel green. He then began to investigate his body further. He was still wearing the fur-lined coat and pants from when he died. He felt around his neck.

'Where did my mask go, or at least, the remains of it?'

He let his hand follow down to his sternum.

'Why is that hole gone? What is this place?'

A cold, empty voice murmured behind him, "Fool, you have still yet to infer where you are? Think about it: this place is composed of spirit particles, and, superficially, it doesn't resemble Hueco Mundo or Hell. Your mask has vaporized, and your hollow hole has closed up."

'That voice…'

"What is it, Starrk? Are you still surprised that I'm here with you and speaking to you in…

…Soul Society?"

Starrk's eyes widened as he turned his head.

"U-Ulquiorra?"

* * *

His espada comrade was casually leaning his back against a tree. His eyes were closed, at first, but his bleak glare soon fell upon Starrk.

'It looks like Lilynette and I aren't the only ones here. I can't tell whether I should be relieved or afraid.'

"Relax, Starrk. It looks like you need some form of explanation."

"Tch. Like you have one?"

"Of course I don't, but I've been here about five minutes longer than you. I have a theory of sorts, if you're willing to listen."

"Sure, I don't have anything better to do."

"Let's begin, then. I believe that our being here is a sign that our souls have broken free of the hougyoku's will. You know that the blade of a zanpakutou is specifically designed to send hollows to Soul Society, correct? I believe that the fact that we all were defeated by shinigami has led us here. Aizen, and the power of his hougyoku, has helped us retain our identity and powers."

"At least…" Ulquiorra paused. "…our shinigami powers."

Starrk realized, after several moments of staring at Ulquiorra, that his mask and hole were gone as well, but Murcielago still rested on his hip. He was also wearing his standard arrancar vestments.

"So you see now. That world that you were floating in was neither the passage world nor Soul Society, but merely inter-dimensional space. There is a temporal gradient between there and Soul Society, hence why it feels to you like it has been two weeks but really only about 20 minutes have passed. The will of the hougyoku extends that far. But somehow that boundary abolished that connection from us and extracted just our souls."

"Also, I'm sure you're feeling it now, Starrk. That feeling of relief: the feeling that lets us know that we're alive again. I know that I'm supposed to embody emptiness, but…

…I feel… wonderful right now."

'Man, I don't think I've ever seen Ulquiorra smile like that. But he's right. We are no longer hollow. We are full fledged souls. That explains why we were able to keep our zanpakutous. That at least somewhat explains how Lilynette fused with me once more but still kept a distinction.'

"However…" Ulquiorra continued. "I've still yet to come up with an explanation for that city over there. It bears no architectural resemblance to Seireitei or Rukongai. Come, fly up with me."

'How could I not?' thought Starrk.

As they flew up through the canopy of the forest, Starrk began to see four pillars. His eyelids shot open out of surprise.

"No… that can't be… that's impossible! We were just fighting there!" yelled Starrk.

"I see. So that's the real Karakura Town."

PROLOGUE: END


	2. Chapter 1: Deicide  A Titan's Collapse

**Chapter 1: Deicide – A Titan's Collapse**

'I've got to stop letting things surprise me' thought Starrk. He did his best to regain his normal, indifferent façade.

Starrk replied, "So I'm guessing that means that Aizen is already here, eh?"

"Correct, but the question is whether we should try to interrupt him for a little longer or not. Aizen seems to have already gone under another transformation thanks to Gin's help"

"Look, over there, it looks like a senkai gate is openi-…"

The were suddenly both overwhelmed by a spirit force from miles away

'That reiatsu!' Starrk thought as he hunched over, almost knocked onto his knees.

"Hmph." Ulquiorra sighed. "So it seems you have arrived…

…Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Kurosaki Ichigo? Is that the name of the shinigami that killed you?"

Ulquiorra paused for a moment to think. "No. I was forced to fight a weaker, hollowified version of him after I thought I killed him. If I were to fight this real Kurosaki, I would be annihilated the moment that I made contact with him. Though, to be fair, Kurosaki's power has transcended miles above what he fought me with. Just to think, this might be a difficult fight, even for Aizen."

Starrk responded "Well then, good for him. I hope that Aizen will come to know fear soon."

* * *

[Elsewhere, in the hills surrounding Rukongai]

"Asshole! Why did you hurl your scythe at me after I was wounded already?" roared Grimmjow.

"Tch. Maybe you shouldn't have gotten your ass spanked so badly by a human. Just be thankful that fate decided that it was _his_ wounds that killed you instead of mine," Nnoitra replied.

"You're ignoring the fact that the guy you watched Tesla crush multiple times is now at a reiatsu level that makes that Kenpachi guy's look like that of an ant!" yelled Grimmjow once more.

"I'll give you that. It's scary to think that that kid is ready to fight the guy that made all of us Espada his bitches. I just wish he would have been that way when he tried to fight me."

There was a soothing silence for a little while as they pondered their presence in Soul Society.

"Hey, Nnoitra. Do you feel that? That weird… feeling of joy?"

"Yeah, bud, I do, and it's pissing me off. I mean, Hell, it's nice to have my left eye back but now I have to deal with all this sentimental bullshit. Still, I'm not planning on going back to being a hollow."

"Me neither. Also, what happened to that scythe of yours?"

"What, Santa Teresa? Shit, she got knocked down to size. She just looks like a plain ol' katana now."

Indeed it was: a katana with a cream-colored hilt wrap and scabbard and a tsuba made of four skulls surrounding the blade that appeared to be laughing. A heavily thorned vine ran through the skulls eyes and mouths.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to use our swords like they were again?"

"Well, it'll be a Hell of a damn lot harder to fight, that's for sure. We're sure as Hell not going to be able to transform again. But I think we'll be able to make some use out of these things. New world, new rules, right?"

"Sure, I'll buy it. Do you think any of the others are going to make it?"

"What, to Soul Society? I doubt that Zommari, Szayel, Aaroniero, or Yammy would go anywhere other than Hell. They were evil in their mortal lives before becoming hollow. That's why the aspects of death they represented were centered around sin.

Nope, I'm afraid it's just us six that are watching this right now"

* * *

[Elsewhere, once more, on the outskirts of Rukongai]

Baraggan and Halibel are sitting on the rooftop of a small shop in Inuzuri, Rukongai's 78th district. Both are conversing about their satisfaction that their wishes of revenge are being fulfilled. Baraggan's zanpakutou, like Nnoitra's, has been reduced to the size of a normal sword. The only exception was that it was a claymore with a black leather hilt wrap and the same red eye that was present in the middle of his axe was now in the middle of the guard. It was sheathed diagonally with the hilt protruding on the upper right side of his back.

"That bastard deserves what he is getting. I wonder how horribly angered he must be right now: that a mere human is fighting on par with him," remarked Halibel.

"Serves him right for trying to knock kings off their thrones; fate is repaying him in kind for his insolence. He must be so confused after watching Ichigo shrug off a fully-chanted nineties level kidou as if it were a fly on his shoulder," Baraggan responded

"Damn, Aizen's going through another transformation. Is this ever going to end?" Halibel worried.

"Soon, Halibel. He can't hold on to even his own creation forever. The hougyoku is rejecting him at an exponentially rising rate, and he doesn't even sense it. It is driving him insane, making the fight almost easier for Ichigo."

A massive explosion occurred where Ichigo and Aizen were fighting after Baraggan uttered these words. Its blast wave ripped through the heavens.

"See? That was a cero just now. Aizen isn't even in control anymore, and the hougyoku is getting more desperate. It's only a matter of time before it ejects itself from his body," continued Baraggan.

They then felt a sudden and frightening jump in Ichigo's reiatsu.

"What is this reiatsu? It feels like my very existence is being crushed!" cried Halibel.

And then they saw it. Mugetsu: a thin but sky-reaching, miles-long slash of pure, dark spirit energy. Aizen was defeated. They knew it but could hardly believe it. The hougyoku healed Aizen's wounds once more, but it was too late. Urahara's binding spell had finally broken through, and the hougyoku no longer saw Aizen as its master.

"Do you hear that, Halibel? Those are the screams of a whining child confused that his plan to cut God has failed. 'The logic of a loser', 'winners think not of how the world is but how it should be'? Hmph. Ignorant boy, if you really wish to become king, you should first find out what a king does before acting so rashly. Otherwise, you will always arrive at a fruitless throne. That is why we espada 'failed' you. If you really wanted us to disappear, then you would have crushed our existences. If you really wanted to command us, then you would have actually managed your forces better. No, you are still but an arrogant child, and that is why you are crying as you watch your precious toy be sealed away from you."

"Baraggan… what will we do now, now that we no longer need to consume souls? Surely you and the others have felt it too."

"Aye, Halibel. It is quite the experience to have eternity lifted from my shoulders. I almost feel young again. Here's a thought: now that their battle is over, why don't we go greet those who 'awakened' us?"

"What? You mean we're going over there to thank them?"

"Hmph. Halibel, meditate on your situation for a moment. You are still in possession of a zanpakutou yet you are lacking a hollow's mask or hole. Don't try to deny it, even though parts of all of us espada are somewhat repulsed by the idea. The fact that the hollow half of us arrancar are gone yet we still have powers sealed away in our swords can mean only one thing."

Halibel's eyes dilated as she began to realize the truth.

"So you are beginning to understand. Though it is against our choosing…

… we are now shinigami. Therefore, Halibel, we are not going over there to thank them; we're going over there to join them."

CHAPTER 1: END

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Alright, That's it for now. If you want me to submit the next two chapters, request them. Tell me ways I can improve the setting or be more verbose in your reviews. Include any other constructive criticism you can think of as well, other than 'You're spelling their names wrong, DURP." I don't care about that, as long as you can tell who the character is, it's fine.


	3. Chapter 2: Children of the Hougyoku

Alright, after a staggering **one review** I've decided to post this single chapter to help get you salivating for moar. darkmachines I hope this answers your question of why I didn't want to include some of the others you mentioned. Perhaps the next chapter will also show you why as well. Thank you all 31 who read the previous installments.

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**Chapter 2: Children of the Hougyoku**

"Now that I think about it, it's rather sad," muttered Ulquiorra. "He put all of his power into that strike. He will never regain that power. Still, for a human to have crushed Aizen, a shinigami who spent a century plotting and honing his skills, after merely a short year of training… is nothing short of a miracle. A miracle like that of our current state."

"You sense their reiatsu, right? Baraggan, Grimmjow, Halibel, and Nnoitra all seem to be heading towards that crater where Ichigo is," explained Starrk.

"It seems pointless not to. Let's go. Perhaps this Urahara Kisuke person might know more about our whereabouts"

'So everybody has caught on. We are shinigami. We are the variables outside of fate. I'm not sure if I will be comfortable slaying hollow even in this current state. Oh well, perhaps it would be better just to wait and see what kind of response we evoke by showing ourselves once more' dwells Starrk.

* * *

"Boy, it sure is a pain in the ass not being able to use sonido. We still know how to fly because of basic spirit particle manipulation skills, but those shinigami assholes better teach us how to shunpo quick," grunted Nnoitra.

"Quit your griping: it's making us go slower. I want to get there before Ichigo falls on his ass. I have a few words for him," retorted Grimmjow.

Indeed, what Nnoitra said was true. All of the powers the espada were used to: cero, bala, sonido, pesquisa, resurreccion, negacion, hierro. All of it was gone. They still knew certain principles of power manipulation because their memories were intact, but the espada are not just joining the shinigami to start a new life. They are doing it out of necessity.

In the distance, Ichigo's friends cried out as he collapsed under the pressure of his shinigami powers leaving him.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime cried.

'Wait… that reiatsu… those reiatsu! Could it be? No, I'm probably just hallucinating from staying in Hueco Mundo too long. Come on, Orihime, snap out of it!' Orihime thought. 'I mean, I recognize them, but they're not hollow. Perhaps it's just the other captains coming to celebrate Kurosaki-kun's victory.'

But Orihime was not mistaken. The espada were on the brink of finishing their convergence to Ichigo's location.

"Hmmm. Though we are the first ones here, it seems we are too late, Kurosaki Ichigo."

All of Ichigo's friends besides Urahara froze in their own footsteps. An overwhelming fear suddenly burdened Orihime's heart. The voice that she was hearing was something completely impossible to her. She slowly turned around, almost having to drag her irresponsive body.

'That… voice. Impossible! I watched him turn to dust as I tried to grab his hand.' Orihime frantically thought.

"'_Do I scare you, woman?_' Do you not remember your answer? Allow me to remind you: '_I am not afraid._' Yet, you quiver before me with a fear I haven't seen you exhibit, when I clearly mean you no harm," Ulquiorra explained.

'What… did he just say?' Orihime couldn't even muster up the courage to speak.

"As always, Inoue Orihime, along with all of Kurosaki's friends, you continue to do the unexpected. Here, this time you can grab my hand without having to worry about me maintaining my existence."

She couldn't help herself. She reached out in the exact same fashion as she did above Las Noches. 'His hand… it's… warm?'

"Now, woman, have you linked with my heart? You couldn't touch it last time because it wasn't there. Are you still scared?"

'He… really means it… there's no way he's lying to me. I can feel every aspect of his soul. It is blank, but pure. And his mask and hole are gone. That must explain why I couldn't feel the hollow part of their reiatsu.'

"Inoue… san…" Ishida muttered in confusion, his feet trembling at the sight of the man who killed Ichigo once.

"Relax, boy, Ulquiorra isn't trying anything fishy, and neither are the other four that are coming here," explained Starrk.

* * *

"My, my, even I didn't anticipate something like this happening," Urahara remarked. "I'm guessing the other four espada that didn't make it are sinners, correct?"

"Please, don't waste your time with silly questions like that. I already know from our encounter in the real world that you are way too intelligent to be asking something so simple. Why don't you ask the more pertinent question: why aren't we trying to kill you all right now?" Ulquiorra delivered in his usual sharp tone.

"Ohh, you're just trying to provoke me, aren't you? Sorry to say but the answer to that one is also pretty simple. Your current existence is a product of the nature of being slain by shinigami and being born of the hougyoku. Zanpakutou have cut the chains of fate that bound you previously when you went under the service of Captain Aizen. You are no longer slaves to him, and you no longer have the primal hunger in your hearts. Shinigami saved you from both fates, thus, you have come here to thank us. Also, your hollow powers are gone, and you have come here to learn more about the other half of your powers and how to control them."

Starrk slowly clapped. "Damn, and just when I thought Captain Kyouraku was a smart cookie."

As Urahara was finishing his explanation the other four were just arriving on the scene.

"NNNNNGGGGHHH, AHHHHH! Damn you, Kurosaki! How come you're always lying on the ground whenever we meet?" roared a frustrated Grimmjow.

"Dumbass, falling asleep before a party starts: do you know how rude that is?" said Nnoitra.

He looked over at Chad. "Damn, boy, you're pretty tough, you know that?" he said with the same sickening smile seen in Hueco Mundo. "Getting nailed with my scythe and still standing? Hot diggedy damn!"

Chad's fist tightened as it sat next to his waste. He knew that even though Nnoitra was no longer a hollow, he was still the same sadistic bastard that he encountered in Hueco Mundo.

"Silence, you uproarious buffoons; do not forget what we came here for. It is of utmost urgency that we learn to adapt to our condition." Baraggan shouted.

"Then it's settled. Inoue, Rukia, Sado, Renji, Ishida: take Ichigo back to the real world and see to it that he fully recuperates," requested Urahara.

"It can't be helped I guess. Hey, woman, you with the healing powers," said Grimmjow.

'Why is he talking to me?' Orihime thought as she turned around once more.

"Tell that asshole if he ever wakes up that I'll be in Soul Society waiting for a rematch."

Orihime acknowledged his wish. She knew that it was akin to the relationship Ichigo had with Kenpachi. All of Ichigo's friends were still in shock from seeing Ichigo collapse and six espada members showing up, but they pressed on toward the senkai gate to take Ichigo home.

"So, now that they're out of the way, and since it will take some time for the other captains to make it back here to Soul Society, how about I kick-start your training with the time that I have? It's the least I can do for beings in your condition," suggested Urahara.

"Heh, sounds good to me. What do we have to do, Mr. Sandals?" retorted Grimmjow.

"Well, first of all you're going to have to display some basic measure of competence as a shinigami if you want the Shino academy or the Gotei 13 to even consider letting you progress further," explained Urahara.

"Get to the damn point already, Sandals!" Nnoitra shouted in an acerbic tone.

"Very well, then. All of you espada, starting from number six and ascending must show me… your shikai!"

CHAPTER 2: END


	4. Chapter 3: Resurrection, Resurrected

I have some terrible news everybody: my computer just got fried this morning. I'm working off someone's laptop right now, but production on chapters has come to a halt. I'll update periodically via my PS3 or iPhone until I get a new setup, but after chapter six or the first intermission, this story is going to be static for an indefinite interval.

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**Chapter 3: Resurrection, Resurrected**

"Shikai? That's just a release, right? Well in that case…

…Grind, Pantera!"

Grimmjow shouted his release command but his sword remained in its normal form.

"What the Hell? Grind, Pantera!"

"You're not asking it the right way. That sword used to just be a container for your hollow powers and nothing more. However, now it shares a soul with you, and must be treated accordingly," explained Urahara.

"Damn, I should have known it wouldn't be this easy."

"Concentrate, feel yourself, feel your sword. Try to synchronize the intentions of both of your souls. Try to understand the link in your power and your zanpakutou's power. Call its name as if you are calling to an extension of yourself. Now, try again."

'Tch. I guess Nnoitra was right. I hate this sentimental bullshit just like he does.' And thus Grimmjow delved into the depths of his newfound soul and he remembered the aspect he was originally given: destruction. Understanding now that he was calling out to his inner desires and powers he tried once more.

"Here goes… Grind, Pantera!"

At that moment, gusts of wind burst from beneath his feet and enshrouded him in dust. As the debris began to clear, two weapons encased Grimmjow's forearms. They were black-metal gauntlets whose hand-guards resembled the face of a panther. On each hand, the two fangs of the upper jaws of these panthers extended about a foot each into double-edged, downward-pointing, white blades. The upper side of the forearm portions of the gauntlets also possessed smaller, versions of the blades seen in his former resurreccion.

"Meh, it doesn't feel the same, but it's a start," remarked Grimmjow. He crossed the two pairs of blades and made an outward slashing motion to form a bursting tunnel of wind that destroyed some nearby trees in front of him.

"Interesting," said Urahara, "That would appear to be kidou if an amateur was looking at it, but it appears that your slashes can create shockwaves in spirit particles. But there's no mistaking it; that is a pure melee type zanpakutou."

"Good, I would have been pretty pissed if its power changed to some pansy shit."

"Let's continue. I hope you all were listening to my advice."

"So I'm next? Alright, let's do this," said Nnoitra.

'Let's see, Santa Teresa, what pisses us off the most? Weaklings? Strong people who refuse to fight? No… we hate it when other people look down on us. What we hate is our own weakness. We hate the weakness that we cause. Will you join me, Santa Teresa, in this self hatred? Will you join me through time eternal to shrug off this weakness? Alright, then, wake up for me right now.'

As he finished his thought he yelled in a mix of madness and despair:

"Pray, Santa Teresa!"

In an instant, Santa Teresa reverted back to its original form of being a double-crescent, scythe-like polearm with a chain attached to its bottom. In addition, the top crescent was now segregated from the bottom crescent and was detachable with an inner chain linking it.

"Heh, just like old times, eh? But there's one thing I don't understand. She seems to be a little bit lighter. Did she go on a diet while I was gone?"

"That's odd, you don't feel it? You don't feel the reiatsu that you're channeling into her right now?" inquired Urahara.

"Wait, what?" and as he replied Santa Teresa got heavier again.

"Again, another interesting ability. Through your management of reiatsu allocation you are effectively changing the weight of all parts of your body and your zanpakutou indefinitely. Though that could be said of all people who have a good grip on reiatsu, your ability has wondrous applications from a physics standpoint."

"Well that's a shame, isn't it? I thought she was getting all prettied up for me."

"Again, another melee zanpakutou," continued Urahara.

The remaining espada quickly caught on and meditated as Grimmjow and Nnoitra performed shikai.

"Enclose, Murcielago," murmured Ulquiorra.

Instead of sprouting black demon wings, however, he sprouted white, ethereal tendrils that expanded to his former wingspan. At first they surrounded him then he spread them to their lengths behind his back. His zanpakutou became a naginata with the edge of the blade glowing green and having small electrical arcs shoot out along its surface. The shaft was black, the tsuba was a small, floating, silver halo, and the end was covered with a silver cap with a lighting emblem engraved into it.

"Ah, an electrical kidou-based zanpakutou: odd that you sprouted those projections, though. Judging by the structure of that sword, I'd say it has a dual functionality. The blade is telling me that you can manipulate electricity easily, but the nature of that tsuba also tells me that you have some form of dominion over magnetism. How fascinating!" exclaimed Urahara.

Ulquiorra paused for a moment to think. He began to speak: "Urahara Kisuke, would you mind if I tried something after this little experiment of yours is over? I'm going to need some time to meditate, but I believe it may be worth your while."

"Sure thing, you just relax and I'll watch these others try to comprehend their newfound powers."

'Apache, Sun-Sun, Mila Rose… do not think of me as a traitor for doing this. I wish you all well in whatever life that awaits you. I promise you all, this sacrifice will not be in vain!'

"Destroy, Tiburon!" cried Halibel.

She twirled her sword around her finger and watched it shine a bright gold before transforming. Her sword enclosed her right arm and took on the form of a blade as it was when she was a vasto lorde. However, this time it took on a metallic luster and gained serrations resembling shark teeth all along its edge. It was also coated in water.

"Ohh? Shark's teeth? Let me see that blade of yours for a second," said Urahara as he strolled towards Halibel. He grabbed one of the large serrations.

"Wh-What are you doing?" shrieked Halibel.

"Relax, if it doesn't work, then it only disproves my hypothesis," explained Urahara as he snapped off the serration he was holding. An identical one grew back instantaneously.

"Just as I suspected: it seems your zanpakutou has a metallogenesis property about it, hence why the tooth grew back like that of a real shark."

"It seems you have retained your ability to generate and manipulate water too, Halibel," remarked Baraggan.

"That's refreshing; I suppose I should be thankful that I don't really have to work as hard to re-learn my abilities."

"I suppose it's my turn, then"

'Look, Arrogante, I know it's against both of our philosophies to have a joint monarchy, but if we don't cooperate, both of our thrones will crumble. Will you join me, Arrogante, to rule over time eternal? If so, then prepare to regain your crown!'

"Rot, Arrogante!"

A crater formed beneath his feet as his zanpakutou also reverted to its original form of being a giant, double-sided axe. A purple aura was emanating from its blades.

"Amazing! Your zanpakutou generated a temporal distortion field immediately upon its release," exclaimed Urahara, "Go ahead, and give it a swing."

As Baraggan's broad axe flew through the air, that same purple aura lashed out to turn the ground into dust in the pattern of a slash. Baraggan began to laugh maniacally as rocks began to float behind his back.

"Hmm?" murmured Baraggan as he began to realize what was happening behind him.

"Another surprise! In addition to displaying control over time, you seem to have some sort of geomancy potential as well," continued Urahara in an exceedingly pleased voice, "Again, a power that you should learn to control in due time."

"Hmm. How suitable, what better element than the earthen variety to accompany the power of aging."

"Guess that just leaves me, then," muttered Starrk.

"Kick about, Los Lobos!"

But nothing happened; his blade lied idle in his hands.

"It seems you didn't listen to me. Your sword has a soul now, but you're still treating it as if it's merely a power-seal. Think carefully, espada; what is that soul that is most close to your heart?" suggested Urahara.

'That's right,' thought Starrk, 'The real source of my power was my other half…'

"I see… Kick about… Lilynette!"

"Oh, come on, Starrk, you can come up with a cooler sounding command than that," spoke Lilynette through the sword in a filtered voice, "how about something cool like 'run wild'"

"Very well: Run wild, Lilynette!"

"Yeah! That's better!" Lilynette exclaimed as Starrk's sword began to transform.

Unlike his former resurreccion, however, his shikai did not split into two guns. It only formed one. In his hands, Starrk was now carrying a modern military combat rifle that resembled a highly customized M4A1. Its magazine was silver with a forward-facing wolf emblazoned on either side of it. The tip of the barrel, the trigger, and stock were also silver. Either side of the stock had similar decorations to Starrk's former release. It possessed a folding vertical foregrip, a laser sight (shining blue as opposed to red), and a blue-tinted scope mounted on its top. All other parts of this newfound rifle were black. The only other change that happened because of his release was a blue holographic sight over his left eye, being attached via a clip around his left ear as opposed to chains circling around his right eye.

"Wow, this is so cool! I could get used to this!" shouted a gleeful Lilynette.

"Yeah, it's cool and all, but what do we do? The entire purpose of you taking the form of a gun was so we could fire ceros, but we lack that ability due to not being hollows," retorted Starrk. He tried pulling the trigger, but nothing happened. He looked on the side for a switch, but it lacked a safety mode, only semi- and fully-automatic.

"Hmm. That shikai can't be anything but kidou-based… Wait, that might be it." Urahara thought for a moment. "This is a rather wild conclusion that I have arrived at, but I want you to try something. Say this chant for me: hadou no yon: byakurai (hadou #4: white lightning)

"Very well. Hadou no yon: byakurai" repeated Starrk. A sudden surge of electricity arced across Lilynette.

'Well that was weird; let's see what happens when I pull the trigger now.'

Sure enough, as he pulled the trigger, an overwhelmingly powerful shot of white lightning burst from the rifle. He flipped the full-auto switch and fired into the distant forest for two seconds. In that time, nearly 1,000 holes where put into the foliage due to the tempest that was just unleashed.

"My, my, this is almost too surprising. How about you surprise me even more by letting me further my hypothesis? Now try this: hadou no sanjuichi: shakkahou. (Hadou #31: Shot of Red Fire)"

Starrk complied, and, realizing the terrible destructive force that Lilynette retained, switched it back to semi-automatic. He pulled the trigger and watched a crimson fireball create a large crater out of the forest that he had already damaged.

"Absolutely amazing," remarked Urahara, "The principle behind your zanpakutou is so simple, yet mesmerizing nonetheless. Starrk-san, your zanpakutou's ability is repeating and amplifying any known kidou art. I didn't want to believe it, but your zanpakutou's own reiatsu enables this."

"I see. Thank you, Lilynette."

All of the espada now have a basic grasp of their new powers. Though slightly bewildered, they all seem relieved to know that they retained an equivalent amount of their combat abilities. A long road of training awaits them, however. They must try to come up with a good explanation or appeal to the shinigami, their new kin.

"Well it's good to know that all of you can learn so quickly. Perhaps there is hope for you yet. By the way, Ulquiorra-san, you said there was something of your own that you wanted to test… oh?" said Urahara.

Ulquiorra was seated on the ground about ten meters behind Urahara, eyes closed, meditating. His naginata was planted blade-first into the ground vertically, electricity still arcing off the blade. His tendrils formed a cloister around his body.

"Hmm? Yes, I believe I have it now. Sorry for the wait: I knew it wouldn't come immediately, but it seems that part of my soul still knows the art."

"Oh? And what art might that be?" inquired Urahara.

"You shall see soon enough…

…bankai… Segunda Etapa."

CHAPTER 3: END


	5. Chapter 4: Reunions and Revelations

**Chapter 4: Reunions and Revelations**

A column of green energy erupted around Ulquiorra as he whispered those words. As he emerged from his second release, he swiped away the remaining energy with his newly-formed wings. They closely resembled angel's wings except that every feather was composed of a metal alloy and green electrical arcs shot between them. Ulquiorra was now adorning a solid white, trench-coat like, opened shihakushou (a long coat that Ichigo wears during his bankai) that extends around ten centimeters past his feet and has a dark green interior. The sleeves and ends of the shihakushou were perfectly trimmed as opposed to Ichigo's ragged appearance. His zanpakutou now had an extra and opposite-facing blade on the bottom of the shaft, albeit the shaft was now shorter because of the space taken up by the blade. The blades' tips now curved backwards slightly to make the overall shape resemble that of a glaive.

"Simply astonishing," said Urahara in a more serious tone, "Never in a hundred years did I imagine that an arrancar-turned-shinigami would be performing bankai in front of me after only an hour of that state of existence."

"I was only able to do it because of my intense meditation while in Las Noches. Funny, though, that my wings resemble a more divine figure as opposed to that of the damned. It seems the state of my soul has done a complete turnaround," commented Ulquiorra.

"Since all of your memories seem to be intact, I will skip the hand-to-hand and swordsmanship portions of shinigami training due to your previously-kept prowess. Instead I will use the time we have remaining to initiate your Hohou teachings."

"Hohou? Isn't that just a school of movement?" commented Starrk.

"Correct: something that you'll need if you want to use shunpo."

"Alright, I've been waiting for this! I feel like I've been wearing concrete shoes ever since I got here!" said an enthusiastic Grimmjow.

"Let's begin. For you espada, sonido was mostly an instinctual movement: a way of just shooting your body into a location you needed to be," said Urahara, "However, that instinct has left you because the part of you that needed it is gone now. Shunpo is an art that requires deep concentration. I want all of you to look at a spot. Pick any location you would like. Now look at everything surrounding the route to you and your destination. Those are your stepping stones. Let your soul guide you on a path that constitutes everything in your surroundings. Let it accelerate you through the environment. Try to find the most advantageous stepping stones to let you get to that location in the least amount of steps. Are you done meditating on your movements? If so, then commence your attempts at shunpo."

Ulquiorra picked up on it immediately. He watched and studied countless shinigami battles in the real world and his own battle with Ichigo. Starrk, Grimmjow, and Halibel stumbled somewhat at first but got the hang of it after about ten minutes of watching Ulquiorra. Baraggan and Nnoitra, however, had a more difficult time with it due to their overbearing masses. Nnoitra figured out that if he altered Santa Teresa's density, it would allow him to shunpo easier, and it did. Baraggan used his newfound skills as a geomancer to conjure dust particles beneath his feet to essentially surf on them. Baraggan was the only espada in that time period who technically did not learn how to shunpo. In fact, the technique that he was using more closely resembled a Quincy's hirenkyaku, thus allowing him to reach an equivalent speed.

"Excellent! For having recently emerged from floating in inter-dimensional space, you all are quite the students! I really want to continue, but I feel I should go back and tend to my comra—…"

Urahara was then interrupted by a booming yet elderly voice:

"Urahara Kisuke! Traitor who was banished to the real world! Would you mind telling me what you are doing conversing with Aizen's henchmen?"

Urahara replied in a highly sarcastic tone "Oh, nothing, just telling them that they're too late to save their master…"

Urahara paused and then resumed in a more serious tone "…Captain-Commander Yamamoto-dono."

The captain-commander, the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 10th, and 13th division captains along with Omaeda Marechiyo, Izuru Kira, Kotetsu Isane, Tetsuzaemon Iba, Nanao Ise, Hisagi Shuuhei, Madarame Ikkaku, and Ayasegawa Yumichika were all standing in the distance coming from the nearest senkai gate. Hitsugaya Toushirou was carrying Hinamori Momo on his shoulder with tears running down his cheeks. Everyone but the 4th division officers were terribly wounded and bandaged up. In anger, Yamamoto slammed the tip of his wooden cane into the ground.

"Do not play games with me, boy!" boomed Genryuusai in an increasingly louder voice. "In light of recent events and your supposed aid in the take-down of Aizen Sousuke, I will generously allow you to offer me an explanation to a situation that looks to be nothing but treachery!"

"Woah, woah, cool it Yama-jii, I was just teaching these former espada the way of the shiniga—…"

Urahara was again interrupted: this time by the wailing cry of Halibel as she soared past Urahara in a straight line towards the captain-commander. As soon as she reached Genryuusai, he blocked her blade with a naked Ryuujin Jakka.

"You are lucky the power in my zanpakutou has yet to recuperate, girl, otherwise you would have just suffered the same fate as your subordinates."

"…You bastard," murmured Halibel, tears starting to form around her closed eyelids, her teeth grinding and face quivering out of despair, "YOU BASTAAAARD! How dare you refer to them as my 'subordinates.' They were like daughters to me, damn it! Do you know how much oppression we had suffered through before even becoming your enemies? Do you know the pain of being outcasts within a world full of outcasts?"

Halibel soon lost her composure. She retracted her blade, planted it into the ground, and fell to her knees. She began sobbing uncontrollably. The captain-commander pointed a blade at her head.

"Wait! I believe you said that you would allow me to offer an explanation, Yama-jii, at least allow me to finish it," yelled a frantic Urahara. Unbeknownst to him, a subconscious sentiment rang through his words.

"Very well, Urahara Kisuke, but make it brief."

"Thank you very much, Captain-Commander. Simply put, these former espada are no longer arrancars. Notice how their masks and holes have disappeared, yet they wield released zanpakutous. They are evidence of something I once thought impossible: hollows turning directly into shinigami as opposed to pluses (a regular soul for those of you who forgot). The fluctuating hougyoku allowed them to maintain their existence, and the basic function of a zanpakutou cleansed the hollow portion of them away. They have been released from a life of perpetual hunger and have come here to thank us."

Halibel began to form words through her crying: "I'm sorry, old man. What I just did was an irrational act of rage. If they saw me do that, they would have lost a great amount of respect for me. I understand what you did was an action of necessity. You saw your own children get harmed, so you had no choice. Thank you for having mercy on them. Thank you for having mercy on me." Her last words ended with a squeal followed by more crying.

"Do you see what I mean, Captain-Commander? Surely you felt it too. Her blade was soft. There was no real killing intent in it. I believe her actions have offered a better explanation than I could ever muster," said a somber Urahara, pulling down his hat.

"Explanations aside, we have also come here to join you. We have come to a consensus that it is most advantageous to ally with you and adapt to your ways in an attempt to understand ourselves and our new lives ahead of us. I implore you, do not make us fight. I _abhor_ fighting," explained Starrk in a melancholy voice.

It took Genryuusai a moment to analyze all of the espada standing before him. He was in no condition to be making tough decisions, as all of the Gotei 13 had been put through a great deal of turmoil. Captain Kyouraku grabbed Genryuusai's right arm where he was wielding his zanpakutou.

"Yama-jii, I believe him. If the espada do turn on us, I will take full accountability of the action," explained Kyouraku.

"It is not your place to make the decision, Shunsui!" roared Genryuusai. "Espada, though it is clear that you are not hollow anymore and that you are not subservient to Aizen Sousuke, you are still highly dangerous individuals. There is no changing that…

…However, I will extend to you this offer: agree to spend a minimum of one month at the Shino academy and subsequently join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, or leave this place immediately. Failure to comply could result in your deaths, again."

"Sounds like a good offer to me," replied Starrk, "Where is this Shino academy?"

"To attend it you must first re-build it. It seems as though the tip of Kurosaki Ichigo's mugetsu ripped through the western half of the campus," replied Genryuusai.

CHAPTER 4: END


	6. Chapter 5: Dust to Dust

The next few chapters are going to be about the repair of the Shino academy and their subsequent attendance there. Sorry if that sounds boring, but I have some good news: actual character development! Yeah, it's going to happen! At least some meaningful interactions are going to take place instead of endless twists and shockers. Also, I've been further impeded by a stomach virus. My luck just keeps getting worse :( anyway, I only have another chapter and an intermission in store after this. Until I get a new setup, it'll be a while before I can start putting more writing into my computer. In my spare time, which I have little this week, I will handwrite a few chapters. Enjoy.

**Chapter 5: Dust to Dust**

"Also, Urahara Kisuke, I want you to leave immediately," demanded Genryuusai.

"Woah, Yama-jii, would you at least let me clean up after my own—…"

"Leave now, Urahara Kisuke! I am delivering you an ultimatum as well: leave now or die! The captains and I can handle the situation from here. Your assistance is no longer needed," said Genryuusai, stern as ever.

Urahara paused and thought about his situation for a moment: 'Woo boy, Yama-jii is persistent as always. I understand that he and all the captains have undergone quite the taxing trials recently, but I won't allow his mercilessness to destroy these perfectly good soldiers. I need to appeal to his logic.'

"As you wish, Yama-jii. But let it be known that it would be counter-intuitive to destroy these espada. They are trying to repay a debt to you for the capture of Aizen Sousuke. Would it not be in your best interest to collect these dues after Soul Society has taken such a heavy hit?" retorted Urahara as he began to walk past the crowd of captains. "Whatever, it's your decision; I hope you make the right one." With those last words, Urahara flash stepped towards the senkai gate. Genryuusai was not pleased with his cockiness. However, it seems that the Captain-Commander had decided to go much easier on the former espada than he had originally intended. Urahara had succeeded.

"You should all be grateful that you met Urahara upon your arrival in Soul Society. Had we converged on you all sooner, your fates would have been much graver," decreed Genryuusai.

"Thank you very much, Captain-Commander. I believe, on behalf of all of us espada, that it is most favorable that you listened to reason. Is there anything that you would like us to do in order to further assist Soul Society?" said Ulquiorra.

"If you truly are shinigami, than you should first realize that helping Soul Society is not something you do as a favor but as a career," replied Genryuusai, "First, I will task you all, along with the vice captains and lower seated officers, in the reconstruction of the Shino Academy!"

"Yes sir, Captain-Commander!" shouted the vice-captains and seated officers in attendance.

"Hmph. Such meager tasks, hardly worth my time, being a king," grunted Baraggan.

"Non-compliance could lead to unfavorable outcomes, Baraggan. I suggest you be patient before your arrogance causes our self-destruction," scolded Ulquiorra.

'Bastard, where does he get the nerve to talk to me like that? I guess it is somewhat justified, though. Ever since he entered that bankai… his reiatsu has practically dwarfed mine. Perhaps he is right, though. As long as we help the shinigami, we will progress further.'

They flew towards the destroyed west wing of the Shino Academy. Thankfully, no one was harmed because everyone was evacuated to underground shelters hidden throughout Seireitei. When they arrived they found an absolute mess. One of the main libraries had a cut running straight through it. The training grounds and several classrooms were demolished for the most part. Chunks of columns and tiles from the roofs littered the ground. Throughout all of the west section of the campus, there was a giant chasm that dug in to the earth at least a kilometer deep and expanded to a width of two meters.

"Heh, even though Aizen is defeated it seems like we've got our work cut out for us," Iba remarked.

"What are we going to do about that _ugly_ chasm? It's going to take so much dirt to repair that," complained Yumichika.

Then it dawned on Baraggan. It seemed crazy to try, seeing as it was a new power to him, but he believed it was worth a shot. While the shinigami officers were conversing on how they were going to go about starting repairs, Baraggan closed his eyes and descended onto the ground. He laid his axe across a narrow part of the chasm and sat on it. He meditated in an attempt to contact his geomancer powers.

'Arrogante, you have a soul now, I have come to recognize this. Wherever we go, we have dominion. Arrogante, what must I do in order to rule the land before me?'

Baraggan delved into his inner world. Its name: Las Noches. However, this is not the castle he remembered. He was on the moon in Hueco Mundo's sky, a desolate place with rolling hills of bones. The skeletons of millions of creatures completely enveloped the surface. He opened his eyes and witnessed a rumbling in some bones in front of him. Some entity was trying to surface. Colossal black skeletal wings burst from out of the surrounding bones. Two black claws followed, then a tail and two hind legs after that. This thing finally reared its head (or skull rather). It had two horns projecting from its chin, a horn on each mandibular angle, a spiraling horn on each temple, and a central upward curving horn above its nasal bridge. Its eyebrows were lined with jagged spikes, and its eye sockets were filled with a raging purple flame. Its ribcage was filled with the same purple flame. The entire creature was skeletal and black. This thing that was before Baraggan was a colossal undead dragon. This thing before him was Arrogante.

"Since no other creature resides here other than Arrogante or myself, I assume you are Arrogante, correct?" inquired Baraggan.

The dragon before him completely ignored his question and responded in a multi-toned, echoing voice: "Listen well, Baraggan. The moment I came into existence as a part of your soul, we made a pact whether you were aware of it or not. We share a joint throne now. You said it yourself: '_if we don't cooperate, both of our thrones will crumble._' Out there, you may govern how you like, but in here, I rule these lands. You, along with all of the other espada were able to shikai without fully making contact with us because you were familiar with the art of releasing. However, you all will never fully understand your powers until you consult with your zanpakutous. You have made a wise decision coming to me. I have arisen from the depths of the ground, amidst the remnants of countless souls and civilizations, from the dust of things that have been around since the dawn creation itself. The power you request is that of moving the earth. Repeat these words after you awake from this world in order move the earth in a basic manner."

Baraggan awoke from his meditation and picked up his axe. He pointed it into the depths of the rift.

"Mandibula de las Montanas (Jaw of the Mountains)," uttered Baraggan.

The chasm abruptly sealed up. All that was left was a small scar and some jagged protrusions from where the earth had recently fused. Baraggan smirked and began to laugh. "Witness, all of you lesser beings, I have commanded the very earth to move on a whim!"

"A-Amazing!" said Omaeda. 'It's so weird to think that not just a couple hours ago we were fighting these espada, yet here they are before us helping us repair Soul Society. It seems like they retained their personalities though.'

"Don't let it get to your head, Baraggan, we've still got a ways to go," remarked Halibel.

"Oh? And what are you going to do, Halibel, provide showers for everyone? Bah!" scoffed Baraggan.

"Oh, you'll see: Ulquiorra!"

"Yes?"

"You know what to do, right?"

"Yes."

She broke off some of her serrations and formed them into long metal rods. Ulquiorra used his newfound magnetism ability to hold the rods together and make them into scaffolds. He placed them all around the broken sections in the walls of the campus.

"You seem to have forgotten, Baraggan, that we _all_ have new powers!" snidely remarked Halibel.

Captain Ukitake showed up on the scene with a disappointed look about his face.

"For shame, all of you! What kind of love do you honestly feel for Seireitei when you are letting these espada do most of the work whereas all of you have yet to help?"

They all replied: "We're very sorry, Ukitake-taichou!" and with that they immediately began gathering wood, stone, and other supplies out of the nearby warehouses.

With the help of Kira, Starrk used the 'anchor' portion of Tsuriboshi (Binding Spell #37: Suspending Star) to glue bricks together. Lilynette's ability to modify kidou was coming in handy. Grimmjow snarled at the idea but agreed to use his powers of wind manipulation to dry paint.

"How's the weather down there, Grimmjow? Is it too much stress on the little kitty to do actual work?" jeered Nnoitra.

"Shut up, you're just sitting on your ass now that you brought all those supplies over here!" roared Grimmjow.

"Bitch, like you could have carried all that stuff?" retorted Nnoitra.

It was true; Nnoitra utilized his weight manipulation skill by anchoring Santa Teresa in the ground and lifting up a considerable mountain of supplies. Combined with his own grotesque strength and channeling the objects' weight into his blade, the task was hardly difficult to Nnoitra.

"He's right, you know. The more you work, the swifter this job gets done, therefore meaning that we can study our shinigami powers sooner," commented Ulquiorra.

"Jeez, Ulquiorra, why do you always have to be such a party-pooper with your constantly somber attitude? Fine, whatever, I'll get back to work."

In about three days worth of labor and replicating all of the study materials, the Shino Academy had made a full recovery. The espada were now ready to further their studies as shinigami.

CHAPTER 5: END


	7. Chapter 6: Hazing

Alright, feeling better, but production on the fic is still slow. I'm only about a fourth of the way into chapter seven, but I have some good news: Thursday is free for me now, since the guy whose spot I was filling in for on the debate team is passing again. I should get a lot farther tomorrow because the person who is letting me use this laptop is letting me have it for the whole day tomorrow. I will work more on the chapter seven and hopefully finish after school tomorrow. Tomorrow I will also be posting the intermission which you will find out what that is soon enough. This chapter is somewhat longer than the others, so enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Hazing**

For the first time in six months, everything in Soul Society was in order, minus of course the vacant seats of three captains. Five days had passed since the successful dispatching of Aizen. The espada had acquired students' uniforms for the Shino Academy. A special curriculum was arranged for these former espada, though they would be joining the others in joint-class practice sessions. Though they already have unfathomable skill at swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat, they are being put through the academy to have official paperwork and authorization to be offered positions in the Gotei 13. They are subject to the most accelerated classes at the Shino Academy in order to graduate in only one month.

"This is degrading," said Baraggan, "I should be given a king's robes immediately. How dare these insolent little shinigami put me on the level of a mere student."

"Baraggan, we _are_ shinigami now. Why are you still speaking as if you are a hollow?" inquired Halibel, "Aren't you the one that told me this originally?"

"Hmph. This whole endeavor is completely meaningless. If we are already powerful enough to fight on par with regular captains, why do we have to learn more in order to enter the Gotei 13?" complained Baraggan.

At that moment, Ulquiorra began grinding his teeth in anger. He regained his composure quickly and spoke: "Baraggan: what has happened to you? Have you always been this way? Why are you suddenly swaggering about with this heinous sense of entitlement? Were you always that type of ruler? You gained your throne through your belief in your absolute power and the trials of defeating and gaining the loyalty of a vast majority of hollows in Hueco Mundo. Why is it now that you refuse to fight anymore? I have wavering belief in your stability, Baraggan. We have entered a different world now. Our powers are different, and we must adapt. Coming here is the most logical way of achieving that. If you continue to let your arrogance cause your ignorance, it will likely lead to your downfall."

"Damn you, Ulquiorra, trying to lecture me, eh?" Baraggan said as he swung his unreleased claymore-esque zanpakutou down on Ulquiorra. Nnoitra flash stepped in the way and blocked with his unreleased sword. Nnoitra frowned as he forced up Baraggan's blade.

"This isn't your real personality, Baraggan, I can feel it. Some part of you is missing. I suggest that you consult with your soul more if you want to really restore yourself," continued Ulquiorra.

Baraggan noticed that Santa Teresa was slowly cutting into his sword and quickly withdrew. 'Damn it, he's right. What has gotten into me?'

"Very well, but in our time here, let us scare some respect into these lowly students," conceded Baraggan.

Nnoitra's manic smile appeared once more. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!"

* * *

"Class is dismissed!" yelled the teacher. The former espada had just completed their first period of learning.

"Interesting," said Starrk, "We can use the ends of the hilts to guide souls? That's some relieving information. I had a feeling that we would use these zanpakutou to do nothing but fight."

"Oh, yeah, sure, it's relieving all right… if you're a fucking _pussy_," said Nnoitra.

"Yeah, that general shinigami education class was a total bore-fest. Where's our next class, anyway?" asked Grimmjow

"Weren't you two listening when Captain Ukitake briefed us on how our day was supposed to go? After general shinigami education, we're supposed to report to the southern training ground 3-A for our kidou class," explained Halibel.

"Oh? Well maybe if you weren't such a bleeding _bitch_ all the time I might have heard him," he muttered under his breath.

"The hell d'you say?"

"Oh nothing, I was just purring."

"In any case, let's hurry," intervened Ulquiorra.

* * *

They arrived at the kidou firing range to meet their kidou instructor. He was average-height, somewhat overweight balding man. His hair was black with a fu-manchu beard and he wore sunglasses with circular lenses. He spoke:

"Alright, I know it's sorta dangerous for you first years, but today we're starting with a Way of Destruction spell. Don't get your hopes too high, though, it's only number one: shou (thrust)."

In front of them was a single row of fifty flat, wooden, humanoid dummies. There were extra copies of these stacked behind the post where they were displayed. The instructor continued:

"The incantation for this one is pretty straightforward, and it's the shortest one in all of the demon magic arts. But you newbies need to listen closely. Here goes: 'Sever the ties to the world and cry at the heavens, Hadou no ichi: shou!"

As he finished the incantation, a force emanated from his index finger as he pointed at one of the dummies. It was completely severed from the steel post that was holding it up.

"It's a simple but effective spell. Also, always remember that a spell is more powerful if its incantation precedes it. Even low level spells can be pretty powerful when accompanied by their incantations."

Ulquiorra and Baraggan, both very composed, easily mastered the technique. Grimmjow seemed to be having problems, though.

"Hadou no ichi: shou!" he shouted, but he ended up forcing himself back.

"Kitty still to high on catnip, eh? Sucks that you can barely cast magic," jeered Nnoitra.

"I've yet to see you try, bastard!"

"That's because I was having too much fun watching you struggle. But if you insist…

…Hadou no ichi: shou!" yelled Nnoitra madly.

An overwhelming force left Nnoitra's finger. It blew away the closest three targets sky high and rocketed them across Seireitei. The other students screamed in horror. The instructor interrupted:

"Don't you think that was a bit _too_ much, Nnoitra-san?"

"Uh? _That_ was too much? Tch. That wasn't even a _fraction_ of what I could do."

It's true. Nnoitra has kept his monstrous reiatsu. He seems to be the only one out of the former espada that have done so, as most have them suffered a net loss after losing their hollow powers. Ulquiorra is the only one who seems to be on par with him, but only after his bankai. Indeed, the numbers the espada once possessed held no meaning in the world of shinigami.

Halibel also quickly learned to use this simple hadou.

"Brilliant!" exclaimed the instructor with an enamored look about his eyes, "Your execution was as flawless as your beauty, Halibel-san! Do you mind if I try _my_ thrust on you?"

Halibel speedily reacted to this perverse comment and punched the instructor's face in.

"Shut up, dickhead. I swear, some of you shinigami are worse pigs than the men in Hueco Mundo. Consider yourself lucky that I'm not allowed to flay you alive right now," said an agitated Halibel.

"I'm so sorry, Halibel-san! My apologies!" the instructor shouted as he realigned his nose. "But, we can't end this class period until everyone participates. I'm looking at you, shaggy-hair!"

He was referring to Starrk, who was sitting on a bench looking at his sword. His expression was rather blank.

"Hey, this isn't a zanjutsu class; you six have been exempt from it under special circumstances. Why are you staring so intently at your zanpakutou?"

Starrk came to his senses after zoning out. "Oh, nothing, I was just trying to remember my release command. I've been thinking about it since the start of classes today."

"Well that isn't gonna do too much for ya here, buddy. All you're here to do is demonstrate to me some form of competency in kidou. Now get up there, and use hadou no ichi like the rest of the class!" the instructor said with impatience.

'Do you remember yet, Lilynette'

'Not a thing, but we're being put on the spot. Let's see, what are things that a wolf would do… oh, I've got it 'gnaw on bones!''

'Gnaw on bones?'

'Just say it already!'

With that spontaneous command that Lilynette thought up, Starrk shouted: "Gnaw on bones, Lilynette!"

His shikai reverted back to two handguns instead of one rifle, but they were still different nonetheless. The handguns had turned into ornate, black .357 magnum revolvers. The hammer (that pointy thing on the back, for those of you who don't know gun anatomy too well) was silver plated and resembled a wolf's paw. The sight itself was a howling silver wolf. The trigger, cylinder, and the tip of the interior of the barrel were also silver. The handle had three finger grooves and was crafted from a special, ultra-dark variety of rosewood. Written in silver in an elegant Romanized cursive on the right side of the right handgun was 'Si usted mira fijamente en el abismo...' Written in the same manner on the left side of the left handgun was '...el abismo también mira dentro de ti' (Translated: If you stare into the abyss, the abyss also stares into you). The barrels on both guns were also rather large in length. Both appeared to be at least thirty centimeters long. The same holographic sight from his prior release reappeared on his left eye.

"Ah. Much better. Something that I'm used to. Sorry to keep you waiting, sensei, but what was that incantation again?" inquired Starrk.

"O-Oh. Yes, that. Err... 'sever the ties to the world and cry at the heavens—...'"

"Thanks, I've got the rest: Sever the ties to the world and cry at the heavens: Hadou no ichi: shou!"

He began pulling his triggers. He found out that his revolvers were a hybrid of double action and automatic. It differed depending on his intent. He quickly annihilated all of the targets at the firing range leaving the ground covered in wood chips. He blew away the smoke coming from the barrels just as a cliche character would from an old western film.

"Do you see now, sensei, why I was needing that release command?"

* * *

Classes had ended for the day, everyone had from five to eight in the afternoon to participate in campus-wide recreational activities. The former espada and other students were in the western recreational plaza that they helped to repair. It was equipped with a few raquetball courts, some garden areas, and a swimming pool.

"What do you think of those former arrancar," asked one female student to another.

"I don't know about you, but I think that Ulquiorra one is a hottie. He's totally got that sexy emo look to him," replied the other female student.

"No way, he's too pale. I'm thinking that Starrk guy is the real man of the group. He's got that distinguished yet aloof attitude and his hair is so wavy."

"It's dirty if you ask me. Well what about Grimmjow? He's that typical bad boy type, and he's got some serious muscles on him."

"Yeah, but would you look at who he hangs out with? Nnoitra is such a creep, and a rude one at that."

On the opposite side of the garden, Nnoitra and Grimmjow were using the shou techinque that they were recently taught to shove a rather nerdy male student back and forth between them.

"Oh come on, you know that's funny."

"Whatever you say. By the way, why is Baraggan even here? Shouldn't he be in a retirement home or something?"

"Yeah, I feel ya. I'm worried that he's gonna have a heart-attack in the middle of kidou training and that'll be it. What do you think of Halibel-chan?"

"Hmph. She's a cocky little bitch who needs to be put in her place. She does her hair like some sort of barbarian."

"_You're_ just mad because she's got a bigger bust than you."

"Oh! Well I never!"

"Never what? Thought that someone would draw in more guys than you? She is pretty lucky, though."

"Nnnngh. Whatever. I'm fine with it. But... haven't you felt something is kind of off lately?"

"Like what?"

"Ever since those espada arrived, I feel like Soul Society has just utterly changed."

"Well yeah, duh. Aizen was recently defeated and those espada do have some pretty nasty reiatsu. I mean—..."

A massive amount of Hell butterflies soon flowed all over Seireitei. Around fifty entered this recreational courtyard. The message they were carrying featured none other than the voice of Captain Ukitake.

"Attention, all shinigami and shinigami students! This is an emergency broadcast! I repeat, this is not a drill! The 78th district in Rukongai, Inuzuri, has been completely overwhelmed by Hollow!"

CHAPTER 6: END


	8. Intermission 1: SIPBG

Look, I know this is longer than the typical end-of-the-show sketch but bear with me on this one. It's just a little thing that I wanted to do. Tell me if it was funny or not. Also, I got sick again this morning, which means I can't use the laptop because the person who is lending it to me is (reasonably) afraid that I will contaminate it. I've got chapters seven and eight planned out pretty well but I don't think I'll be able to put it up until Saturday. I'm somehow doing this effectively from my iPhone. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy today's measly offering.

**Intermission 1: Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book – Golden!**

It is the summer after Aizen's defeat. The weather is nice and everybody seems to be having a good time at the beach. Unohana Retsu began to address a small gathering of female shinigami:

"I'd like to welcome everyone to the 2nd annual Shinigami Women's Association Beach Festival! I would also like for everyone to welcome our newest member, Tia Halibel."

Halibel was clothed in her arrancar gear from her days as an espada. She stared into the sand shyly.

Everyone shouted: "Hi, Halibel!"

"Thank you, it's nice to be in the company of other women. It really makes me feel at home," replied Halibel.

She began to unzip her jacket upwards as she did when she first revealed her espada tattoo.

"W-Wait, don't you think you should get a swimsuit before you do that? Your hollow mask is gone, after all!" exclaimed Rangiku.

Halibel took her jacket off, but the lower half of her hollow mask that covered her breasts remained intact.

Rangiku continued: "I thought you all lost your hollow parts when you came into Soul Society. How did you keep—…"

"Censorship," interrupted Halibel before Rangiku could finish her question.

"Oooooohhhhhhhh," replied the women in this realization.

"Halibel-chan, your shikai allows you to control water, right?" asked Isane timidly.

"Of course. Do you want me to use it so we can surf?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed all of the women.

"So be it," said Halibel. She went into shikai and pointed her blade at the ocean. "Cascada."

"Hold on, you're not having a surfing competition without us!" yelled Grimmjow who was accompanied by Nnoitra, Starrk, Kyouraku, Ikkaku, and Kenpachi.

"Very well, we shall have a Men vs. Women surfing competition!" said Unohana.

The competition proceeded throughout the day until the last two competitors were reached: Nemu and Grimmjow. Nemu moved with absolute and mechanical precision, and the women were sure they would win with that skill on their side. When it became Grimmjow's turn to surf, however, a tsunami appeared.

"Awww, no fair. If he lands that one he'll win the competition for sure," complained Rangiku, "Halibel, this is all your fault!" she continued irrationally.

"That wave was not my doing… but this is: Hirviendo!"

The wave suddenly became vapor beneath Grimmjow's feet. He wildly flailed his limbs in an attempt to remain airborne but to no avail. He fell several meters before crashing into the waters surface.

"Silly cat, you knew it was against your nature to approach the water in the first place," remarked Halibel.

Grimmjow growled. "Damn you, Halibel! You'll pay for that!" his words echoed across the entire beach.

…and thus the women won that day… WITH THE HELP OF KYOJI!

(Bleached fans should get this last little joke I made. If you haven't watched Bleached or With the Help of KYOJI, I suggest you get on youtube and watch it as soon as possible. It's pretty funny for Bleach fans and non-Bleach fans alike. And, Averex8, if you're reading this, props to you, man.)

INTERMISSION 1: END


	9. Chapter 7: Shadows and Showdowns

Alright, everyone, it's been a week, and it's probably going to stay that way for the rest of the installments. I had loads of free time because of being snowed in, but weekly installments is pretty much how its going to go down from here on out. I don't have MS Word any more, only wordpad, so I have no gauge of how much I am typing. That pretty much means that installments are going to be varying lengths. I plan to release every Thursday, so you Bleach fans will have two things to look forward to. Tell me how I can improve the action sequences, if I need to. Also, for those of you literary critics that actually care about it, hopefully you all have realized by now that this piece is going to be rather schizophrenic in its thematic implications, motifs, and general dramatic construction, mainly because there's six main protagonists. I'll do the best I can. Enjoy.

**EDIT: **Yeah, so I haven't worked on Chapter 8 _at all_ this week, mainly because I've been bogged down with Anatomy and Calculus stuff, plus I have a UIL tournament coming up this weekend, so that meant more practices. I have, however, worked out the plot and brainstormed a lot. As you may know, I just kind of started this story on a whim for the first four or five chapters and I've just been kind of winging it since then. Though the plot and themes are still going to be scrambled (and please tell me, if you catch the themes that I'm thinking about, if you want me to focus on one central thing and I will do so), at least now it's laid out and able to continue. More intrigue is to follow: might update next Thursday.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Shadows and Showdowns**

"Where would so many come from?" asked a panicking student.

"All Thirteen Court Guard Squads and training shinigami are authorized to use their sword releases and are to be mobilized immediately! Numbers of hollows on the ground and in the air are around twenty thousand. Multiple Menos Grandes and Adjuchas confirmed!" continued Ukitake's message.

* * *

A black, shadowy cloud lumbered over Inuzuri. Giant black droplets rained upon the groun to form Gillian. Numerous dead and wounded littered the streets. Many buildings had either collapsed or suffered severe structural damage. The debris of shattered roofs and broken doors had impaled a few unfortunate citizens. Blood was spattered across the walls and showered the ground. Kira Izuru, Hisagi Shuuhei, and Madarame Ikkaku were some of the first on the scene; Kira and Hisagi were nearly paralyzed with horror.

"Good God, why? There are so many dead," muttered a trembling Kira.

"So much destruction: how did this happen so fast?" asked Hisagi.

"Bastards, all of them. These hollows are in need of a good ass-whooping." remarked Ikkaku.

Multiple Hollows skittered across the rooftops surrounding the three officers. One began to speak:

"Ahh, shinigami. I was wondering when the main course would show up!"

"Excellent, the appetizers here were starting to get stale and bland," another added.

Hisagi replied "Damn you, you all are going to pay for-"

A psychotic screaming laugh from the distance behind the three officers was flying towards them. A tall, lanky figure wielding a giant polearm and adorned in a student's uniform became increasingly more visible.

"GET THE HELL OUTTA MY WAY, SHINIGAMI!" yelled Nnoitra. He planted one foot on Hisagi's head and the other on Ikkaku's to cushion his landing while Hisagi was finishing his sentence. In a frenzy, he swung Santa Teresa by her chain, blasting back the hollows on the rooftops.

Grimmjow flash-stepped in front of the officers, gazing up at the Menos Grandes towering overhead.

"Finally, something to kill. I was afraid soul society was _always_ going to be boring as hell," he remarked. He unsheathed his katana and stroked its blade.

"Grind, Pantera!"

A tempestuous gale burst in front of him, eviscerating five Menos Grandes causing the chunks to rain down. Grimmjow displayed his trademark fang-riddled smirk.

"It's high time you shinigami assholes learn that we don't need to be taught _shit_ to fight on the level that you do." With those last words, he sprinted into the dense crowd of hollows, slicing and dicing everything in his path.

"Oh no you don't, you're not going to hog _all_ the fun," said Nnoitra. He anchored Santa Teresa into a Menos Grandes's mask and swung himself into the crowd.

Kira found himself zoning out, shocked that former hollows were so ready, so eager to attack their own kin. A pale white hand gently descended onto Kira's shoulder.

"Come, now is not the time to despair over the dead. We have a duty to fulfill: you as a shinigami, and I as one in training. Do not worry about those two. They fight only for the sake of fighting. They know no allegiances, past or present: only fears," explained Ulquiorra.

Another strange thing was occurring before him: a former Espada was lending him advice. Though he initially thought that it was a rather pompous thing for Ulquiorra to do, he nevertheless felt comforted by these words. Kira smiled in relief.

"I see. Hey, Ikkaku, Hisagi, get up, we have a job to do."

Ikkaku, with a crazed look in his eyes, sprang up, put his face up to Kira's, and started yelling at him.

"Shut the hell up! How about _you_ have a giant, 150 kilo psychopath land on _your_ head and see if _you_ feel like getting up, eh?"

"Yeah, that wasn't exactly the most pleasurable experience," added Hisagi as he sat up, scratching the back of his head.

A mad cry came out of the crowd of hollows.

"Hey, dumbasses! Quit your bitching and join the party!" exclaimed Nnoitra.

"Heh, but he is speaking my language: no point in giving up a good fight. Here I come!" continued Ikkaku.

The other three Espada soon arrived about twenty meters above Inuzuri.

"My, my, we have to fight already? I thought we had three weeks until we had to start our job as shinigami," complained Starrk.

"Shameful: it has been mere days and yet they have so swiftly forgotten their king? It is time to put them in their place," decreed Baraggan.

"So pointless: so many hollows trying to compete over prey in a place like this? They will rue their reckless decision," remarked Halibel.

"Destroy, Tiburon."

"Rot, Arrogante!"

"Gnaw on bones, Lilynette."

Yellow, red, and blue columns of reiatsu shot skyward from Halibel, Baraggan, and Starrk respectively as they flew into the army of hollows.

"So, Kira Izuru, Hisagi Shuuhei: don't tell me you're going to let some former Espada desecrate your pride as shinigami," remarked Ulquiorra. "I will be joining them promptly, as should you two." He took his hand off Kira's shoulder and drew his sword. "Enclose, Murcielago." A green electrical aura surrounded him as his tendrils grew. He flapped them as if wings to take to the sky and follow his brethren.

Kira and Hisagi looked at each other and nodded.

"Raise your head, Wabisuke!"

"Reap, Kazeshini."

They followed Ulquiorra where they found the other five already easily holding their own. Grimmjow was moving with incomprehensible speed, dashing from opponent to opponent repeatedly stabbing then kicking them into the air or ground. Multiple Gillian were suspended in the air before they could even disintegrate. Nnoitra's fighting style was as violent as ever. He anchored Santa Teresa into the ground and jumped on a Menos Grandes's nose. He severed it and hurled it through the Menos's eye. He landed, grabbed another one by its foot, and swung it like a club to knock down three other Menos Grandes. Halibel used a technique she recently learned to take down several Menos.

* * *

[Flashback]

Halibel is sitting in her dormitory on her second night at the Shino Academy, alone. It is a small room with wooden walls and a double-layered sliding screen door. A bed is next to a window that is opposite to the door. The window has its screen pulled down. A desk is on the right side of the room and a wardrobe on the left. A chest and a coat-rack are on the left side of the desk. A silk mat covers a large portion of the floor. She is laying on her bed, pondering her experience so far, mostly enjoying herself.

'This place is so different from Hueco Mundo. Everywhere I look there is more intricate detail in the countless blades of grass and grooves in the trees. The souls here are usually never hungry, and everybody tends to enjoy themselves. On top of that, for the most part, the women here are treated equally. Is this the reward for my sacrifice? Has my philosophy truly come to fruition? No, I still have to be ready for anything. This is just the beginning, we all still have to focus. I will not let the shinigami's kindness go to waste.'

She got off her bed and took her zanpakutou out of the chest. She kept it sheathed and layed it across her lap as she meditated in the center of the room. Halibel delved into her inner world, water circled around her in a column and enveloped her.

She found herself in a garden surrounded on all sides by an atoll. The sky was cloudless and sunny. The coral reef that was in it had coral that extended into trees that showed themselves above the water's surface. They were assorted shades of red, yellow, and green. The water was a pristine azure. The sand was smooth and rolling. The garden was a small square that had a blossoming cherry tree at each corner. She was sitting on a red bench that was facing a large well. It began to ripple frantically as if something was trying to surface. She opened her eyes to stare up at a towering figure, eclipsing the sun, that had splashed water all over the garden from surfacing so rapidly.

It was, by mythological account, most anatomically similar to a mermaid. The lower half was serpentine but with the texture and colour of a great white shark. The upper half was a humanoid, muscular, elderly male. Scars covered his chest, abdomen and arms. His forearms were made of metal, but decorated with seaweed bracelets. He had a long gray beard with long hair in the back to accompany. Both sets of hair were weaved into dreadlocks and the beard was littered with seashells. He had a prominent, five-pointed crown of dull green stone. He wielded a pair of unique weapons. They were serrated tridents with chainsaws directly behind the trident portion. The weapons were both white like hollow material, but were metal nonetheless. He brought himself down to look on Halibel. His head was at least as tall as her body. In fact, she couldn't comprehend how such a colossal being could fit in so small a space.

"So my master has finally decided to confront me: welcome to your inner world, Tia Halibel," explained the sea-god in an echoing voice.

"I see, so you are Tiburon," said Halibel, unsurprised. "I have a question for you though: why do you have so many scars when you were just recently given a body?"

"My lady, you have many sacrifices in your existence, no? These scars are a reflection in your soul of the burdens you have taken upon yourself," explained Tiburon.

"You make me even more curious with that response. Why address me as if I am royalty?" she further inquired.

"My lady, because you are the master of this world. I am actually quite lonely. I live at the bottom of a well, if it was not clear to you already. If it is my appearance that makes you believe that I am more powerful than you or would believe myself that I am, you are mistaken. You should know best not to judge others, Halibel," continued Tiburon.

"That's a reasonable answer. In any case, I thought now was a good time to confront my zanpakutou. I want to understand my powers. Your hands are made of metal: the same kind that allows my blade-you-to regenerate, I presume," deduced Halibel.

"Correct, my lady. And you want to know more about its properties or rather its application in battle, right?"

"It seems you have already read into my fear then."

"Correct, my lady. To eliminate that fear, you are going to swim up the well I reside in."

"Yes... wait, what?"

His tone became much more dignified and authoritative. "You heard me correctly, and you are not escaping your own inner world until you complete this task." He grabbed her in one hand and plunged her into the depths of the well. "You are to find your way out without my help. You will not be able to leave your inner world until you have done so. Only then can you wield me to my fullest potential."

She was in a narrow space as the well had a mere diameter of two meters. 'How the hell did he fit down here? Why is my own power submerging me? Ugh, that doesn't matter now, I have to find a way out of here.' She began swimming up in hopes of surfacing. Tiburon had plunged her down quite far, but perceptually, it wasn't unmanageable. She swam upwards for ten minutes, but the light she was looking at didn't look like it was getting any closer. 'What is this? I should have at least swam a couple hundred meters by now and it feels like I'm getting nowhere. Maybe it's some sort of riddle. I should try hitting some of these bricks.' She pushed on the bricks, then punched the bricks, but to no avail. She just ended up hurting herself. 'Maybe it is a test of my resolve. I should wait.' She waited a few hours, opened her eyes to see that nothing changed and waited some more.

"What are you doing? Why are you not trying to escape? Do you think I am trying to test your resolve?" inquired Tiburon's voice.

"Where are you, and why are you withholding yourself from me?"

"I am outside of this well and _you_ have withheld yourself from me. Your fear and sadness occlude your true path. But you were always this way, Halibel. Always with the fighting for equality and searching for meaning. It is your judgment, such as when you allied yourself with those _whores_, that keeps you from realizing your true potential."

It took a moment to realize the end of what Tiburon just said, but she quickly was overcome with incomprehensible rage. Her muscles were twitching as she was sitting in her meditative stance.

"What... did you just say about them?"

"Hmm? It is as I said. Do I need to repeat myself? I meant that you have surrounded yourselves with weaklings and idiots that have negatively influenced you, time and time again. Your stubborn moral code has led you into some poor decisions.

"HHHHUUUUUUUAAAAAAGGGHH!" she roared, "Curse you! Show yourself! I will tear out your throat with my bare hands, bastard!" With furious might, she punched the wall of the well which easily collapsed. It opened up and showed a view of the ground in her inner world. By punching a hole in that wall, she opened up a hole in the sky. The secret of the well was that it was a mobius. It looped back into the start of the world. She was suddenly puzzled as she fell through the sky. As she was about to reach the ground, Tiburon caught her.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

Her face was rendered quizzical for a brief moment, but she quickly remembered her rage. "Let go of me, you bastard! I'm going to make you suffer!"

"My lady, I meant nothing that I said. I simply gave you a push in the right direction," he explained.

She calmed down but there was still an acerbic tone to her voice. "What do you mean?"

"Your true power, my lady, lies in a phenomenon I like to call righteous fury. It is your fierce determination to fight for justice. You touched on this power when you confronted Genryuusai, but your blade was too filled with sadness and grief to have any effect. When you started to meditate, you were being completely opposite to your cause. Your power is not in calm, but in frenzy: not in peace, but war. Though it is unjust in itself, as long as there is reason to fight, we will be the most powerful force on the battlefield. After all, what is your command to me?"

She was distraught and her eyes widened in realization."De... stroy," she muttered.

"Precisely, my lady. Also, have you wondered why you are able to boil water so easily? Where that heat has stemmed from? It is your soul. It is fire. It is the opposing force that makes your power unique. The fury of the sea outside, and the raging fire within. Previously, your hollow skin was able to contain it, but now your blade is crafted from an exceptional alloy to bear the heat. So remember next time you are in battle of this power and the driving force behind it and call out this attack..."

[End flashback]

* * *

"Tormenta de la fusion (molten storm)," said Halibel, pointing the back edge of her blade down at the Gillian below. The shark teeth serrations began to glow an intense red. They shot off the blade into a rain of molten metal, piercing and obliterating the hollows below.

Ikkaku paused in his fight and looked up at Halibel. 'What destructive force. I'm glad they're on our side, I guess.'

Nnoitra was disgruntled by this. He grabbed a Menos and hurled it at Ikkaku. "Here comes the pitch! Swing, batter, batter, swing!"

Ikkaku looked behind him to find a hollow flying toward him at lightning speed. He released Houzukinmaru just in time to slice the hollow in half before he was knocked off into the distance.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you insane?"

"Nah, I just saw that you were sleeping your ass away over there and decided to wake you up. You'd be pretty fucking cocky if you said that you could fight hollows in your sleep," jeered Nnoitra.

"Heh, well maybe I can."

"Good. Now that you're awake, maybe you can pick up the pace from quadriplegic tortoise to grandma with chronic arthritis."

Ulquiorra was hovering in the air above them. His naginata ignited with green energy.

"Lanza de Relampago," he murmured. He in a straight line through the heads of about twenty Menos Grandes. He flash-stepped to catch it on the other side, directly in the middle of its shaft. "So absolutely pointless, all of their efforts."

The crowd of Adjuchas were charging ceros to fire at Starrk. He seemed completely unfazed.

"Hadou no sanjuusan: Soukatsui," he muttered. (I don't know how the hell you guys could forget this one with how many times Rukia says it, but I'll translate it anyway: Way of destruction number 33: blue fire, crash down.)

They fired their ceros at him but he effortlessly blocked them with the blue fire blasts from his pistols. "Was that it? Man, that was short lived." He fired one blue fireball into the mouth of an unaware Adjuchas. Its head exploded and a blue shockwave ring decapitated all of the Adjuchas around it.

Hisagi and Kira were doing quite well on their own as well. Kazeshini propelled its way through many crowds of Gillian that covered the streets. Kira flash-stepped by some Menos Grandes' ankles and tapped them multiple times with Wabisuke. They fell down like redwood trees, slowly and clumsily.

"Hmph," grunted Baraggan, still contributing nothing to the battle. "It's time that I end this whole fight and show you all the ramifications of your shameless disobedience." He pointed Arrogante at the ground, specifically in a central street that divided the whole district.

Ulquiorra and Starrk both looked at each other and nodded. They flash-stepped onto the ground and tossed Ikkaku, Kira, Hisagi, Grimmjow, and Nnoitra into the air.

"Mandibula de las Montanas."

A chasm opened up along the middle street that quickly expanded into a gaping hole in the earth. All of the hollows fell in. The ones that tried to escape were grabbed by clawed, black skeletal arms that dragged them into this pit. Once all of the hollows disappeared, the hole abruptly closed up, causing a shockwave in the air that extended for several kilometers. Nothing was structurally damaged, but unsecured objects were thrown sky-high.

Grimmjow regained his composure after adjusting to the fact that his comrade threw him. "Wow, was that really necessary, Baraggan?"

"I recall no display of my power. That phenomenon was a result of them digging their own graves."

The three officers also regained their composure shortly after the espada's conversation.

"Man, you sure are some crazy sons of bitches," commented Ikkaku.

"That power was... amazing, all of you. Vanquishing so many hollows so swiftly," complimented Hisagi.

"Your abilities are all well and good, but we need to find the cause of such a massive invasion of hollows," suggested Kira.

"Aww, man. We're to the shitty part of being shinigami _already_?" complained Nnoitra.

"He's right, Nnoitra. This many hollows appearing is quite the abnormality under any circumstances. We should investigate for any clues as to the whereabouts or motives behind this assault," agreed Ulquiorra.

They all landed and began sweeping the streets. Grimmjow and Nnoitra were lazily wading through different barrels and crates in search of different materials, clueless as to what they were looking for. The three officers couldn't find any evidence in the local shops, and all of the surviving, brutally injured residents were too shaken to give any coherent explanations. Starrk, Baraggan, and Ulquiorra couldn't find anything of relevance either. Finally, Halibel stumbled across a weird mask.

"Hey! I think I found something useful!"

They congregated over at her location and inspected the mask she was holding. It was shaped like a happy dramatic mask from an old culture. Its lips and nose were painted red while the rest of the face was white, save for a black drop that appeared to be left over from the dark cloud that spawned the Gillian. It was adorned with a crimson fleur-de-lis on its forehead. She felt the texture even more and realized it was brittle after breaking off a corner on its forehead.

"There's no mistaking it. This is a hollow mask."

CHAPTER 7: END


	10. Chapter 8: Nine Lives

What's happening, fans? I've made a somewhat important decision: from this chapter forward, I'm going to be naming the chapters after songs in my library. It may seem silly to you, but whenever I write these, it takes me a long time to decide what I'm going to name the chapter. I want it to be something witty, but related. So you guys are going to be getting a glimpse at my taste in music. It's mostly metal with some techno and other good stuff thrown in. In other news, my new laptop is going to be here in a little over a week, so I won't be restricted to working off a flash drive and random people's computers. This chapter's title references a song by Aerosmith that many of you may know from its appearance in Dead or Alive 3.

**Chapter 8: Nine Lives**

It has been fifteen days since the incident in Inuzuri, eighteen days after Ichigo collapsed. Rukia was troubled that she came to Soul Society to hear even more bad news other than powers slipping away from the man who saved her life. The painted drama/hollow mask was sent to the 12th squad headquarters, though Mayuri was only slightly interested in the perfectly intact mask. We resume the story here in his dark-yet-computer-illuminated laboratory.

"Why are we analyzing this mask anyway?" inquired Akon. "As far as you are usually concerned, an ordinary hollow mask should be of no interest. Sure, it's quite unique, and which ever hollow dropped this was probably of at least an adjuchas class. But if combating or preventing the threat of such a hollow attack is the goal of this research, I believe we both know that it would be an overall wasted effort, seeing as the re-purposed espada quickly dispatched a force of no less than twenty thousand hollows with little aid and in a timely manner."

"You're right, this alone is pretty boring to analyze. However we are under orders of the first division to inspect the source of this mask, as they believe that this was organized by a larger force behind them. You surely can deduce that the recent attack was no normal intrusion. At the very least, a lure had to have been cast," explained Hiyosu.

Mayuri walked in with Nemu at his side. "You all look like you have gathered inconclusive results, which is to say none at all. I thought I had taught you all better."

"What do you mean?" chimed Rin. "We have only barely begun to look at this sample."

"That's precisely what I mean. You're too busy _looking_ at it. If you really want to have fun with a toy, you don't just stare at it all day; you tinker with it," conjectured Mayuri. He pulled out a body-sized suitcase and opened it to pull out a blank gigai. He snatched the mask out of Hiyosu's hands while Hiyosu was examining it, and he placed it on the gigai and threw it into a glass chamber. "Observe," he continued.

The body was inert for about a minute and Rin asked "What did you even do that for? Are we supposed to try and simulate something?"

"Patience," demanded Mayuri, "Can you not feel the remains of its soul flowing into the gigai?"

Suddenly, the gigai sprang up, gained glowing red eyes, and the hollow mask glued itself to its face. A black aura was leaking from the edges of the mask. Its posture was slump for a few moments, but then it began to throw itself against the wall in manic discord. Black tendrils began shooting out of its back, slamming against the glass.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, I don't think that cage is going to contain it for much longer!" exclaimed Akon.

"Quit your incessant worrying, it's not like its much of a threat to us anyway," scolded Mayuri. He pulled out a remote control and pressed a button in the bottom left corner that had senshi (puncture) written in kanji. A large needle deployed from the ceiling and lodged itself into the gigai's brain upward from the base of the cervical vertebrae. The raving gigai was suddenly paralyzed and the needle began to draw a black liquid from it.

"That should be good enough; now you fools can at least _start_ your analysis," commented a very disappointed Mayuri as he walked away with Nemu. Data started to flood Akon's computer screen.

* * *

The espada were at the outdoor zanjutsu training grounds in the afternoon. They were the only ones there along with Captain Soi Fong. The place wasn't all that fancy, just a courtyard on the border of the school with large, trampled dirt square and wooden training dummies.

"So why are we here again?" Grimmjow asked. "I thought we were exempt from this kind of stuff. Was it not enough that all of us fought on par with captain-level shinigami?"

"Shut up, espada. I'm not exactly happy to be here either, but you're here because _I'm_ supposed to evaluate your skills in hand-to-hand combat. It also gives me a chance to test-drive this mechanical arm that I had Mayuri craft for me," responded Soi Fong. She presented her newly fabricated left arm. The bones were made of titanium and shaped normally. However, the muscles were replaced with a tangled mess of wires and cables that were various shades of grey. The only part that had a real 'skin' to it was the hand which was plated with titanium on each finger and the palm and back of her hand. Its janky appearance and lack of aesthetic consideration was indicative of Captain Kurotsuchi's indifference towards anybody not in the twelfth squad. She clenched her left hand into a fist and punched a dummy off its post.

"A little more powerful than I thought. It's also somewhat uncoordinated, but it will suffice for this exercise. You six will fight me starting with Starrk and ending with Grimmjow."

"I really don't want to do this, but I suppose it's best that I get it out of the way early," complained Starrk.

Soi Fong swung the first punch with her right hand, and he casually stepped out of the way. She hooked with her left fist, and he crouched. She tried to roundhouse kick him, but he dashed back. She then began to intensify her attacks and their frequency, but he insisted on dodging everything with his hands resting on his sash.

"Come on, we'll be here all day if you keep dodging and don't start trying to hit me."

"Why do you expect me to stop dodging if your attacks are becoming increasingly more dangerous? Very well, if you insist..."

Starrk caught her right hand as it was coming towards his face, spun around to her back, elbowed her in the middle of her spinal column, grabbed her head, and threw her over his shoulder onto the ground.

'What just happened? Was he always this skilled?' thought Soi Fong

She quickly recovered and stood up. "That was very good, Starrk. I'll say you've passed this test with your surprising me."

Baraggan was up next. She glared at him with burning hatred. "I'm not going to be as easy on you, scumbag."

"That is perfectly fine with me, I shall put you in your place once more."

She put all her energy into one straight punch with her left arm, but Baraggan blocked it with his right forearm and forced her backwards after shrugging off her assault. She flash-stepped behind his head and tried to kick it, but he blocked with his left fist, grabbed her leg and threw her onto the ground.

"There, I have fulfilled the same requirements as Starrk, meaning my short episode of your pestilence is over."

Soi Fong got up once more and stared into Baraggan's back as he walked away. "Fine, you've passed, but don't think this proves anything."

Halibel was also reluctant to fight. She and Soi Fong were on a relatively equal level. Their fists collided, their kicks crossed, and their paces increased at the same rate. Soi Fong slipped up for an instant as she flash-stepped and tried to attack Halibel from the side, allowing Halibel to spin-kick her heel into Soi Fong's back.

"Thank you, Soi Fong, for sparring with us," said Halibel.

"You're welcome, Halibel. I'm glad to see that the woman out of the group is the one with the most respect for others."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and waited for Soi Fong to approach.

"Alright, I know you also don't want to do this, but I don't have all day."

"That is why I am waiting for you to instigate this fight," murmured Ulquiorra as he kept his eyes closed.

She was slightly agitated by his apathy and threw her left fist straight towards his face. At the very moment it was about to make contact, he flash-stepped behind her back. While she was still in the swinging motion, Ulquiorra smacked Soi Fong behind her head with the back of his hand. This seemingly weak blow was powerful enough to cause her to front-flip and land on her back at least five meters away.

'That... What was that? His shunpo was unnaturally fast. Almost to the point of keeping up with Yoruichi-sama,' she thought.

Nnoitra was smiling when she recovered from her fight with Ulquiorra.

"Fina-fucking-lly! I was practically hibernating over here waiting for you babies to get done with recess!" said Nnoitra with his trademark lecherous smile.

"Calm down, scoundrel, I'm definitely not going to take it easy on you either," said Soi Fong caustically.

She approached him and took her stance. She thrust her left fist with mighty vigor at his stomach, expecting him to dodge. He took the hit directly and his flesh didn't even budge. He looked down at her and frowned.

"What's wrong? Is that it? Was I even supposed to feel that? I thought you said you weren't going to take it easy on me."

She was frustrated at his lack of reaction and jumped up to kick him in the face. He still didn't budge.

"Alright, if this is what's happening to _me_ when I'm getting hit by you, try to even conceive of what will happen to _you_ when I retaliate."

Off in the distance on one of the towers of the Academy, Soi Fong heard a cry:

"Shunkou!"

She gasped in surprise while she was still airborne. 'Could that be?...'

A dark-skinned woman with a disintegrating orange shirt was flying towards the back of Nnoitra's head.

"Why are you so surprised all of a sud-"

Before Nnoitra could finish his sentence, Yoruichi's kick landed on the back of his head. He face-planted into the dirt, and she skated on his back after colliding with him to slow her momentum.

"You let your guard down, skinny boy. Don't expect all attacks to be of the the same strength. Oh, and Soi Fong, how's that new arm working for you?"

She stared in amazement. "Yo- Yoruichi-sama..."

Yoruichi sighed and looked at Soi Fong, bewildered and awkward. "Seriously, this again? Hey, Soi Fong, snap out of it, I asked you how your left arm is holding up!"

Soi Fong shook her head left and right and frantically responded, "Very well, Yoruichi-sama, I was about to use its full force, but you intervened, and I..."

"That's enough Soi Fong. You answered my question. I only did what I did to put him in his place."

Nnoitra recovered and remarked, "And what place might that be, your litter box? Tch. Like Hell! You only got a lucky shot on me."

Soi Fong's eyes snapped to Nnoitra in a furious glare. "You dare talk to Yoruichi-sama in such a delinquent tone? You're lucky that I'm not allowed to release my zanpakutou against you unless you cause danger to Seireitei."

"Focus, Soi Fong, you still have one opponent left," Yoruichi recalled.

"'Bout time, I was getting more depressed than Nnoitra over here."

Grimmjow strolled over to a rather exhausted Soi Fong. She was breathing heavily but still stood in a ready fighting stance. She didn't even notice it, but Grimmjow took his stance as soon as he reached her and threw a light jab at her face with his left arm. She almost didn't have time to react, but she avoided his assault and his jab struck a single hair. His right arm was hooking around just as she dodged. She managed to flip backwards to evade the potentially devastating blow.

'His speed is just as great as Ulquiorra's. Where do they get this kind of adeptness at shunpo?' thought Soi Fong. 'In any case, it's time I stop taking it so easy on these espada.'

"I didn't want to have to use this in fear for what might happen to this new left arm of mine, but I need to put all my power into fighting you...

...Shunkou!"

A white aura began emanating from her back and arms. The mechanical arm was still holding together, but the immense spiritual energy was certainly testing its structural integrity.

"I know you're a captain and all, and I know that means a lot to you in this world. But, you've gotta quit being so fucking arrogant. We've been fighting a hell of a long time too, and we are not to be taken lightly. Hell, Aizen hesitating to kill Ichigo is why his ass is in the slammer right now," lectured Grimmjow colloquially. "Now come on; hit me with all you've got!"

Soi Fong roared as she charged at Grimmjow. She flash-stepped in multiple places to confuse his perception. She was almost in front of Grimmjow and was pulling her left fist back to ready the smashing blow. However, in her resolute fury, she neglected to avoid a rut that was created from her impact in the ground by being thrown by Baraggan earlier. She tripped and flew head-first into Grimmjow's abdomen. She was unconscious for a few moments, unaware of her situation. She was lying on top of Grimmjow, her cheek touching his nose. She gasped and recoiled off his body.

"Oh? What's this? Has my little Soi Fong become a frisky kitty as well?" teased Yoruichi.

"No ma'am, I would never associate with a vagabond like him," hastily replied Soi Fong. Unbeknownst to her, her cheeks were flushed crimson.

Grimmjow sat up using his right arm to elevate himself. He displayed himself in a laxed pose with one knee up and an elbow on the ground. "If you're into me, you can confront me like that on your own time. At least tell me if you're going to interrupt our fight," he suggested.

"Did I say you could talk, scumbag?" she said acerbically as she turned her head.

"That's enough, Soi Fong. You can cool off for now; I'd say they passed your test," commented Yoruichi.

"Y- Yes ma'am, Yoruichi-sama. Alright, espada, this training session is over. You have demonstrated captain-grade aptitude in hand-to-hand combat. I will be reporting in to the first division offices immediately. You are all dismissed for the afternoon."

Soi Fong gathered herself rather well despite the events that had transpired during this evaluation. She negated all injuries, at least superficially, and made a hectic advance out of the Shino Academy. Yoruichi disappeared as well, seeming to follow her although in an oblique path as opposed to directly behind her.

"They really are bad liars. Fucking shinigami. Does she seriously think we fell for the whole 'I'm evaluating your skill in hand-to-hand combat' bullshit? I swear, they refuse to stop underestimating us," grunted Nnoitra.

"Even so, Nnoitra, it is a perfectly rational fear of theirs to doubt our loyalty to Seireitei, or rather doubt our hesitance to endanger Soul Society. Though I find it distasteful to say out of sheer arrogance, we all are still fearsome, powerful beings. It was only recently when we dedicated our service and abilities to aid in destroying Soul Society. Right now, we should concentrate on how we will function as shinigami in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," explained Ulquiorra.

"Tch. That still doesn't give them an excuse to treat us like we're dumbfucks," complained Nnoitra once more.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired. I wonder if they'll let us go off campus to get a drink," said Starrk, referring to alcohol.

"I agree with Starrk's motion. We should retire to either our rooms or one of the recreational parks," concurred Halibel.

"I would punch one of those little training shinigami pricks, but they put up no serious opposition. This place is no fun at all," said Nnoitra.

* * *

Later that night, on the second floor of the dorms, Grimmjow is walking along the balcony that overlooks the inside of one of the courtyards. The area adjacent to this balcony was all garden, ornate bridges, and small streams and brooks. A full moon reflected from one of the koi ponds, shimmering from the ripples created from their swimming. All was serene, and silent, but Grimmjow was restless. He paced along the balcony and its red and black guard rails with his hands behind his head. He cocked his head up and sighed.

'Man, it sure is boring out here. I can't figure out what's bothering me though. I'm a little confused about that 2nd squad captain's thoughts about us, or more importantly me. And for some reason I feel like we're being watched by something other than the shinigami. I've got to calm down. I'm being to fucking paranoid. Maybe I'm just a little pissed since it's been a while since my last real fight.'

One of the cherry trees rustled abnormally. There wasn't any wind to cause it.

'What was that?' thought Grimmjow fearfully. "Who's there?"

There was no response. He couldn't detect any motion or hear anything, but he felt a concealed reiatsu.

"Look, you can come out now, cos you're doing a pretty shitty job of hiding."

"And you're doing a pretty shitty job of being an espada," responded a shrill, impish voice behind him.

He turned around to find a short, crouching humanoid figure. It was no more than a meter tall, but it had defined male musculature. Its skin was a dull green with black splotches on its pectoral and abdominal regions. Its digits on both hands and feet were emaciated and elongated. They also appeared to be multi-jointed. A white, segmented chain stretched from its right shoulder, wrapped across the lateral portion of the upper arm and forearm, and formed into a ten centimeter long needle on his middle finger. It had a bleach-white mask with a thin, fully-toothed grin stretching to each lateral boundary of the mask. It had no eye slits, but rather a hemispherical face with a crimson fleur-de-lis covering most of the area from the forehead to where the upper lip would be. It began snickering nefariously.

"And what is that supposed to mean, random hollow? You do realize you are severely outmatched, yes?"

"That isn't going to stop me from giving you a little acupuncture treatment before I leave, traitor! Here I come!" yelled the mad hollow as it somersaulted towards him.

Grimmjow remained unfazed. Right as it reached him he quickly unsheathed Pantera and sliced at the hollow vertically upwards. However, the hollow had seemingly vanished into thin air. It reappeared around his ankles, sliding across the floor.

"Forgotten about sonido already? Shameful. How dare you call yourself an espada!"

'Shit! That little bastard is right.' Grimmjow thought as he backflipped to evade the prick of the needle. The short hollow began dashing and attacking from all sides.

"What's wrong? You've gotten so much slower since I saw you fight last time!" the hollow managed to score a few stabs into Grimmjow's chest and back and a couple into his left arm. The needle was drenched in blood, dripping slowly onto the wooden floor.

"Damnit! Time for you to die, little bastard!" Grimmjow roared as he slashed horizontally and severed the hollow's feet.

"Augh!" it exclaimed in agony. It quickly retorted as it landed on the ground, ankles bleeding profusely: "Well, at least you haven't totally lost your touch, Grimmjow. Perhaps Maestro will find some use for you yet."

It took a moment in Grimmjow's mind to register that this hollow addressed him by name. And even stranger, referred to a name he had never heard of before, and suggested repurposing him for this 'Maestro's' use.

"Wait, who's Maestro? What do you mean by 'find a use for me'?"

The hollow only seemed to grin wider, and refused to acknowledge the question.

"Bye bye!" It tore a garganta in the floor with its needle and fell in as a means of escape. Before Grimmjow could pursue his assailant, the garganta slammed shut. Whatever had just happened, he had to tell everyone else. He resolved to tell them in the morning, feeling no need to wake up everyone in an academy full of cowardly students and give them nightmares. He retreated to his dorm room and fell asleep, neglecting to try and alleve any of the piercing wounds he had received.

* * *

** CHAPTER 8: END**


	11. Chapter 9: World of Promises

The next few chapters after this one are going to be about how the espada integrate with the thirteen court guard squads. This one, at least to me, is sort of bland but it's because I want to get this established quickly so we can begin the real story. I'm also trying something new as far as writing goes. I'm going to be making allusions (although they will likely be obvious and un-clever) and using super-scribed numbers to mark references that are explained at the bottom of the page. This chapter's title comes from a song by In Flames.

**Chapter 9: World of Promises**

Today was the day: The day of graduation. About a week had passed since Grimmjow's encounter with the pygmy hollow. The reports of Grimmjow's injuries and memories of the attack were sent to the Research and Development Institute. They were curious to see how this event related to the massive assault on Inuzuri three weeks ago. They discovered, at least from Grimmjow's description, that the mask that they had placed on the gigai and the mask from the hollow that attacked Grimmjow shared a common crimson fleur-de-lis. They were also curious to see how this 'Maestro' character is associated with these incidents. Grimmjow was worried for a few days but managed to shirk off any inkling of fear remaining. His cocky attitude and pride kept it from bothering him for too long. Everyone else had meditated between the training session with Soi Fong up until now; they had thought carefully about which squad they wanted to join.

An offer was extended to them by Genryuusai: choose which squad you wish to join or have a captain choose you. They all knew, however, the shinigami still didn't take to kindly to their presence. It was only by Hisagi, Kira, and Ikkaku vouching for their performance and readiness to combat hollows that Genryuusai was convinced of the former espada's loyalty.

The student body president stepped up to a wooden podium, about a meter and a half tall. The president was a tall, young but scruffy male with short, ragged, auburn hair and brown eyes. His eyes were large and had prominent, black eyebrows. A cross-shaped scar graced his left cheek. His nose and chin were rather delicate compared to the rest of his face although his jaw was very pronounced. He naturally smiled with a sort of youthful energy. He wore a regular student's uniform. The only thing that distinguished him as student body president was sleeveless, dark blue haori. His vice president was a woman that was about the same height as he was. Her light blonde hair was bundled in the back similar to Ise Nanao. She had light blue eyes and a dainty nose. She had light pink lipstick on and her mouth was pursed somewhat. Her face was somewhat neutral of emotion. She wore a similar blue haori over her student's uniform but it was curtailed to indicate her ranking officer's superiority.

The graduation procession was imminent. The espada's graduation was concurrent with another class of about one hundred students who were on an accelerated curriculum. The student body committee chose to hold the ceremony outdoors, into the gateway of the inner court. The students were all arranged in five rows of ascending, red-painted, wooden seats akin to bleachers. A three-meter-wide, white-tiled walkway preceded by a towering wooden gate was the graduation locale. The student body president presented a short speech about the excellence of the class and their success as fledgling shinigami. No personal addresses were made, as the speech was rather generic and allegedly motivational. He proceeded to issue the class a challenge. His voice became stern:

"I don't want any of you leaving here as cowards. Though you will not have the years of experience to justify your confidence, I believe in all of you. You have the capability to be courageous and brave through all of your endeavors. Some of you may die; some of you may be a captain someday. Going separate ways is inevitable. Nevertheless, I urge you all to never lose hope: not in soul society, not in your comrades, and above all not in yourself. Now go forth and become part of the arm of justice that is the Gotei juusantai!"

As part of a tradition, the students received a tattered school uniform (white shirt with striped sleeves and red/blue hakama). They threw these uniforms into the air and impaled them on their descent, yelling with glee. The students then left the bleachers and formed into a single file line. The former espada were at the back, arranged one to six as typical. On the left side of the walkway, the student body president handed black shihakusho and hakama to the passing graduates, while on the right side the vice president gave out sashes and tabi. At the back of the line, the espada conversed about the lackluster event.

"Alright, so let me get this straight: we go through the bullshit of having to become members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and all we get is some laundry? What the Hell is it with this place?" commented an irritated Nnoitra.

"I agree. Who are they to say that any one of the six of us don't have 'years of experience'? And no mention of our recent conquest against that battalion of hollows? Disgraceful," added Baraggan.

"Would you two relax? Just be glad we're not being chased around Soul Society right now," rebutted Starrk.

"Easy for you to say: _You_ weren't attacked recently," said Grimmjow.

"That's not the reason I'm pissed, scaredy cat. I'm mad 'cause I've been cooped up in this joint for almost a month and there has been only one fight: _one_. And it was hardly even a good challenge,"

"In any case your anxious belligerence is counter-intuitive to any survival instinct you may have. Your constant bloodlust is foolish, juvenile, and ignorant. You constantly show me that you have no sense of order or authority. If you really want to kill something so badly, go ahead; I'm not stopping you. Just make sure it isn't a citizen of Soul Society or a shinigami, as I will be forced to combat you then. After all, it is my duty, as a newfound shinigami, to protect Soul Society and its laws," scolded Ulquiorra.

"Tch. Figures. You're already butthurt about taking orders. No sense in arguing with you, you stubborn runt."

The last of the regular students were almost through, equipped with their new uniforms. As Starrk was about to be handed his shinigami robes, someone appeared on the wall of the campus.

"Wait a minute!" shouted Kira. He flash-stepped onto the bleachers, then onto the walkway. He sprinted towards the student body president, holding what appeared to be six shinigami robes on his right shoulder.

"Is that… Kira?" asked Halibel raising an eyebrow.

Kira halted next to the president then bent over, hands on his knees, and tried to catch his breath.

"Why are you here, Kira-fukutaichou?" inquired the student body president.

"I'm here… to give these students their shinigami uniforms," he replied, panting in between every few words.

"At least we're being handed laundry by a high-ranked officer, isn't that right, Ulquiorra?" asked Nnoitra facetiously.

Kira finished regaining his breath, smiled, and stood up enthusiastically.

"Correct, Nnoitra-san! I custom-tailored these for you after the Inuzuri incident based on your arrancar vestments when we first met and what I've gathered from your personalities."

"Ooh, goody goody goody!" cheered Nnoitra.

"I'll start with one and go to six, as has been usual with your ceremonies."

Starrk's robes were very slim fitting. The legs of his hakama had the circumference of the legs of jeans. His shihakusho was trench-coat like just as his previous coat was. The body of the coat reached the back of his knees. He was given a pale green obi sash to match his scabbard. He snickered awkwardly when this was given to him. 'This is horribly un-stylish' he thought.

Baraggan's shihakusho was short-sleeved and lined with white fur at the bottom. His hakama were especially wide-legged. He was given a broad red sash with a golden skull medallion in the middle. Its eyes were encrusted with rubies.

Halibel's shihakusho had defined, edged shoulders. The sleeves were slim at the top and wide at the wrists as was in a kimono to allow room for her released blade. She was also given long, fingerless, black gloves and a light yellow sash to wear over her shihakusho.

While Ulquiorra was given regular hakama, his shihakusho was like Starrk's: a trench coat. It had very slim-fitting sleeves, but its body extended all the way to his ankles. It was also given a short collar that turned up. His obi sash was a standard white.

Nnoitra was given a shihakusho Starrk's as well. However, the back was split vertically from his lower legs to his hips. The sleeves and torso were also completely skin-tight. He curled these to loose flaps into coat-tails akin to that of a tuxedo. He was also given pointed boots as opposed to tabi and tucked his hakama into the boots like his former outfit.

Grimmjow's shihakusho was completely sleeveless with tattered, jagged ends. He wore it somewhat open to expose his chest and scar. His hakama were somewhat slimmer than others and also had shredded ends. He was given tabi, but he quickly discarded them. His obi sash was also white, but thinner than the others.

"I never thought I would be thanking a shinigami, but seriously, giving my boots back? I didn't think I was ever going to see these babies again," said Nnoitra.

"Thank you for the uniform and gloves, Kira-fukutaichou," said Halibel.

"Oh, it was nothing, really. I'm passionate about this kind of stuff, there's no need to thank me."

"Think of it this way; you're the only shinigami I know here who has treated me with an ounce of the respect I deserve. The ornament was a tasteful addition, and I believe your recognition of my status as opposed to the rest of the ants here warrants at least a modicum of gratitude from me," suggested Baraggan.

"Though, Kira, I do believe you were dispatched here for something else, correct? Surely a ranked officer like you wouldn't be sent here merely to distribute shinigami regalia," inquired Ulquiorra.

"Right, the captains have been called to a meeting. I volunteered to come here and escort you to the first division barracks. If you would all please follow me," responded Kira much less bubbly and more serious.

* * *

As Kira pushed on the center, the massive wooden doors slowly creaked open. Rows of six torches on either side of the dim red hall illuminated this locale. Genryuusai stood at the back of the hall and the captains stood evenly distributed on either side. Kira had the espada stand at the center of the room. He gave a brief bow and took his position between Soi Fong and Captain Unohana.

"I assume you are all decided on which squad you wish to join. Let me remind you, however, that the captain whose squad you wish to join is not entirely obligated to let you join their particular squad. Ukitake-taichou has volunteered to accept any of you into his squad should you be rejected from your squad of choice," declared Genryuusai in a commanding voice.

"We shall start with your number six and end with your number one. Proceed with your choosing, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"Uhh, well. I haven't made real decision as of yet, but if I'm going to be in a squad, I want the strongest one to be my captain," said Grimmjow scratching the back of his head. "Let's see… Oh yeah! Eye-patch guy! I almost forgot about you."

He was referring to Zaraki Kenpachi, of course who let out a sigh of disdain.

"The name's Zaraki Kenpachi, dumbass. So far as I remember, you got your ass kicked by Ichigo right?"

"Kicked his ass? Hardly. I did more of a number on him than that Kurosaki kid could have even hoped to do in that state," reminded Nnoitra. "Besides, I wouldn't mind being in your squad either. I hear it's full of the real fighters."

"Yeah, and what makes you two think you're deserving of that title, eh?" retorted Kenpachi with a patronizing smile.

"Oh, come on, don't fucking kid yourself. You know full well that I was giving you a tough time before you resorted to using kendo. And I'm not as dumb as I look either. I've done my research. That Ikkaku guy in your squad? I met him during that bout with the twenty thousand hollows. I know that you can see the power difference between me and him. I'll even stick up for Grimmjow here by saying that Ikkaku may have stood a chance against some numeros, but a real espada would have him dirt napping."

"Eh, as much as I hate to say it, that's fair enough. You two can join the eleventh squad, but your seats will be determined tomorrow."

"Hells yeah! A squad that sees some action!" cheered Grimmjow.

"Don't push it, runt. Like I said, we'll see how you do tomorrow."

"That is two decided. Ulquiorra Schiffer, choose your captain," said Genryuusai.

"Understood," replied Ulquiorra, eyes closed. He stood idle for a moment and began slowly pacing towards the center of the assembly hall. He stopped and remained idle once more then opened his eyes and turned his head towards Kuchiki Byakuya.

"If I wanted to feel such a thing, I would find it humorous that I could so easily judge your character. We have never met, yet I needed not to open my eyes to completely analyze you. Your beliefs and creeds are those of unshakable righteousness. Your spiritual pressure, even when suppressed speaks to those who behold it: 'I belong to a being that refuses to compromise, even in the face of armageddon' (1) A man who will abide by rules and obligations until the day he dies: am I wrong, Kuchiki Byakuya?" Ulquiorra eloquently delivered.

"I suppose this is your way of extending an invitation for me to accept you into the sixth division. However, I am rather insulted that you believe that you have any right to speak to me as if you share something in common with me," responded Byakuya coldly.

"Is that so? You only prove my point by so hastily rejecting me. Allow me to help you reconsider. I believe that those who have sinned must be judged. Once a punishment is decided, it must be enforced."

Byakuya's eyes widened with intensity. Memories poured into his conscience. He could almost see Ichigo's bloodied and puzzled countenance. He began to add to Ulquiorra's rhetoric.

"Because that is the law: Compared to the law, there is no value in any emotion," said Byakuya.

"I never possessed such absurd emotions in the first place," added Ulquiorra.

Realizing that what they were saying was synchronized, Byakuya and Ulquiorra began speaking simultaneously in their similarly monotone voices: "If we do not obey the law, who _will_ obey?(2)"

Byakuya closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I see; my judgment was inaccurate. I suppose I am just naturally hesitant to the notion that an espada might be so similar to me. You shall have your wish, Ulquiorra, in a place in the sixth division."

"Thank you very much, Kuchiki-taichou."

Renji was standing behind Byakuya and objected to his decision.

"Hold on a second, Captain. Ishida told me that this man temporarily killed Ichigo. Are you sure you want him in our squad?"

"Really? Then Ulquiorra and I have yet another thing in common. I am assuming you faced his hollow form, correct, Ulquiorra?"

"Indeed. Though whatever hollow form of Ichigo I faced was a true monster. It communicated though roars and screams in an insane dialect. I can imagine whatever form you faced was nothing more than an overpowered, immature alter ego."

"Besides, Renji, his ability to fight on even terms with Ichigo is only another example of why he is valuable to Seireitei."

"Whatever you say, Captain," said Renji, biting his lips and stepping back.

"We now have three. Continue, Tia Halibel."

"Gladly: I assure you my decision will be quick," she said bowing. "I wish to serve under the one who has garnered the most respect from me. Hitsugaya Toushiro, will you accept me under your command?"

Though emotionally distraught and exhausted from training to protect Hinamori, Hitsugaya showed a soft smirk. "Absolutely: after all, you are stronger than me. It would be unwise of me to decline such a powerful addition to the tenth division. I welcome you wholeheartedly, Halibel."

"Thank you very much, Hitsugaya-taichou. I promise I will not disappoint you in any of Soul Society's affairs."

"That makes four. Whenever you are ready, Baraggan Luisenbarn."

"That's too bad. I fear that I do not have a real selection of a squad, but I would rather not be placed in Ukitake's squad out of apathy."

"Exactly what I expected to hear: We shall discuss the specifics of your placement later, Baraggan," said Genryuusai, surprisingly un-angered by Baraggan's blatant indecision.

"Guess that leaves me, then. Naturally, I'm going to choose a method similar to Halibel's and pick a captain who's similar to me. Kyouraku Shunsui, though you have recently revealed to me in our battle that you are a cunning, calculating bastard of a man, I still can't help but admire your laid-back lifestyle in comparison with the other captains. I hope you agree," said Starrk.

"Of course, of course! No hard feelings about the whole stabbing you through the chest thing, right?" replied Shunsui frantically, waving both of his forearms in panic.

Starrk snickered with the deep of his voice. "Of course not. Glad to have you as my captain, Shunsui."

"That settles it then. I'm glad this went as smoothly as it did. Oh, and Baraggan, I believe that you will be pleased with the captains' decision as to the whereabouts of your placement."

"Hmm? You have my attention, Yamamoto-soutaichou."

Soi Fong and Hitsugaya both turned their heads in disapproval at whatever the Captain Commander was about to declare.

"Baraggan Luisenbarn, due to your immense power and alleged prowess as a fearless commander, I offer you a position as captain of the 5th squad."

A tense silence filled the room. An assortment of mixed emotional reactions littered the air.

"The 5th squad, you say? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but was that not Aizen's position before betraying Soul Society?" inquired Baraggan.

"You are not the one asking the question here, Baraggan. Now answer me: will you take the position or not?"

"Very well, Yamamoto. I will accept your offer," he replied. 'I suppose this makes us even, Aizen,' he reflected.

"Good. And now that we have that issue dealt with, you should all retire to your dormitories for the last time. Tomorrow morning, you will report to your assigned squad barracks. Baraggan, if you would stay for a few extra moments so I may give you your captain's haori and describe what your new position will entail."

As the espada were regrouping to report back to their dorms, Captain Kurotsuchi threw open the doors as he entered the assembly hall.

"I'm afraid you're too late, Kurotsuchi-taichou, we have already decided who the former espada will serve under," explained Unohana in her usual kind tone.

"Hmph. As if the fate of those failed experiments will have any effect on my conscience. No, I come here bearing the findings of my research team. They have been spending the past two weeks tracing the spiritual origin and examining the spiritual memory of the mask from the attack earlier this month. Their research has come up with one consistent conclusion: the hollow that wore this mask originated and was deployed from within Las Noches."

CHAPTER 9: END

1. Refers to a line said by the character Rorschach in the popular graphic novel Watchmen.

2. After Byakuya loses to Ichigo's bankai, he explains why he would still decide to execute Rukia. These lines that Ulquiorra and Byakuya quote are identical to Byakuya's original words.


	12. Chapter 10: Swords and Tequila

Good afternoon, readers. I'm sorry if I bored you with just bland, generic outfitting and assignments last chapter. I just needed to take a shortcut in establishing the nature of everybody's appearance. The beginning of this chapter and the next one will have that sort of militant feel to it but otherwise, this is where the story has a change in narrative. The perspective will switch to first person. My goal with these next few chapters is to slow down the action and really have some good, social interaction. That being said, these chapters will also be varying in length. The title for this chapter comes from a song by Riot.

Oh, and to address this before I forget, a lot of you seem to be complaining about Baraggan's role in the story. Look, I know all of you hate Baraggan; _I _hate Baraggan. In case you didn't notice, look how much narrative I've dedicated to him, and how uncreative it is. Truthfully, Starrk and Ulquiorra are my favorite characters. In fact, I'm pretty sure all you Baraggan haters are ultimately going to _like_ where I take this story.

On a final note, it would be nice if one or more of you could leave a review that describes when you think the most reader traffic is on . That is to say, when the site experiences the most traffic or when the prime time for me to post these updates would be. I want to garner the most reader attention as possible. If not that, then what changes should I make to the description? Thank you to all of those that review; it helps more than you realize.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Swords and Tequila**

Briefly after departing from the torch-lit abode, I was greeted by a petit woman garnished in spectacles, wearing her charcoal hair in a rear bundle. She looked nervous as I unwittingly stared at her. I didn't even realize that I was walking towards her until she began to speak to me.

"I'm presuming you are Coyote Starrk. My name is Ise Nanao, lieutenant of the eighth division. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, a bit anxiously. She bowed as if fearful.

In an attempt to console her, I began re-emphasizing what seemed to me rather obvious conventions. "Don't worry. I gave your captain a rough time, and to me he did likewise, but I'm not one for holding grudges. It would be foolish of me to even try opposing him at this point. By the way, why aren't you greeting the others?" I, of course, was referring to my espada comrades.

She reared her head, her expression more fretful than before. I then realized just how intelligent this woman was. Ise Nanao: a tense, frantic individual but not without a supple mind to defend it.

"I see. Then there's no need to be skittish. You're just as smart as your captain. You just have a different personality to cover it. I'm saying this because I know why you indirectly confronted me, out of all the espada. You _knew_ I was going to pick Kyouraku. The way you conduct yourself is very misleading, but your intelligence is admirable."

It was somewhat relieving to know that I was in the company of at least two great minds, be it one I already knew was cunning, almost fiendishly so. She regained her composure and handed me some documents.

"Take these, they're from my captain. Enclosed are some instructions on where to report tomorrow and a personal address from Shunsui himself."

With that, I stuffed the envelope under my sash and walked back to my room without giving any formal farewells. I lit a few candles in my room upon arrival and began reading Kyouraku's letter first.

'Starrk-san,

'I had a hunch you were going to pick me. If not me, then surely you would have had no problem with my colleague Ukitake. But I know you better. You're stubborn, just like that little girl that was with you. I'm sorry to rub salt in an open wound like that, but you know it's true. Anyway, I'm sure you will be pleased with the agenda for tomorrow. I've had the unseated members of the squad gather some materials for a celebration. I want you to get to know some of the squad members or at least socialize if you're too apathetic to learn a few names. Hopefully this will alleviate that loneliness that has harried you for so long. I'm also proclaiming you 3rd seat of the squad, effective immediately. Sure, some officers will be displeased that they've fallen in rank, but I'm sure they'll understand when they see you.

Best of luck,

Kyouraku Shunsui'

Although morbid to dwell on, I find it humorous that he believes Lilynette is dead. I let off a slight chuckle and tossed the letter aside. I fell onto the bed, hands behind my head. I gazed over at the waning half-moon. Before falling asleep, I noticed the almost blinding white light that filled my room. Amazing, I thought, that even at half-capacity, the illumination is still ever piercing through the night.

* * *

I woke to a harshly bright sun. I rolled over to help my eyes adjust. However, I felt a persistent nudging on my back. Curious, I rolled over once more. At first, I could only vaguely perceive a silhouette. The first thing I could make out was short pink hair. The shadow advanced towards me and I began seeing a childish face. It grabbed my right eyelids and pried them open.

"Hmmm, hmmm… No I don't think you're the one joining Ken-chan's squad, your eyes are too lazy to want to fight," conjectured the little girl.

I jolted backwards, startled by this strange occurrence. The girl was wearing a shinigami uniform and wielding a pink-hilted zanpakutou.

"Who are you, and who is 'Ken-chan'?"

"Oh? No worries, shaggy-kun! I'm Kusajishi Yachiru, lieutenant of the eleventh squad. Ken-chan is the captain. I'm just looking for a couple of people who said they wanted to join Ken-chan!"

So she's the lieutenant for that monster with the spiked hair? Interesting: that means she's looking for Grimmjow and Nnoitra.

"I see. But you know I'm sure everybody has 'lazy eyes' first thing in the morning. Your method of evaluation is terribly flawed."

"What? You use too big of words, shaggy. Don't worry; I know I'll find them!"

She retreated back through the door and then sprinted down the hall to the next door. I lumbered over to the door and peeked outside. Several other shinigami graduates were standing outside of their dorms, confused and in a seemingly similar predicament to mine. I scratched my head and yawned. I briefly scanned over the other documents that Nanao handed me: a map, some general squad guidelines, and schedule. The map was the only thing that was useful to me as far as I was concerned. The address from Kyouraku probably told me anything else that I really needed to know.

I took my time getting to my destination. I strolled casually through the garden courtyards of the Shino Academy for the last time. I trusted that Kyouraku would have some tasteful decorations in his squad's barracks. I was then surrounded by the bleak, ubiquitous, generic white walls that combed through the majority of Seireitei. I almost felt trapped: suffocated by these infinite expanses of white walls. I leaped up to the top of one of them and began flash-stepping across the roofs of other barracks. I wasn't sure what drove me to do so, but it felt like I was escaping, and it felt nice. After that, I quickly made my way to a cherry-tree riddled pathway. It reminded me of when I first arrived in Soul Society. The wind coursed through the pink flowers, causing some to cascade down, fluttering. I inspired for a length, and exhaled in relief. This pink-spattered road surely led to the eighth squad barracks.

I came out of the shade and into a blank courtyard. A hut with a kanji symbol 'hachi' sat at the end of this courtyard. I flash-stepped to the door which I pulled to realize it was locked. I noticed a small scroll at my feet. It had only one sentence written in large characters.

'Other side of the wall, silly'

I hopped onto the crest of the wall behind the hut. I stared down on a heavily populated garden area with multiple ponds and palm trees. The denizens of this imitation beach environment, both men and women, were dressed in swimming attire. They all shouted in unison.

"Good morning, Starrk-sama! Welcome to the eighth division!"

I found Kyouraku lounging on a hammock in the back of the garden, clothed in swim trunks similarly patterned to his flamboyant pink kimono. He wasn't wearing any clothing on his torso, but his head was crowned with his straw hat. He was accompanied by his lieutenant dressed in a dark blue one-piece swimsuit. She seemed reluctant to be there. He called to me.

"Oi! Starrk! Get over here!"

I complied, rushing over to his side.

"Yes, Kyouraku-taichou?"

"Oh, cut it out with the senseless formalities, you can call me Shunsui. I thought you'd know better. Well, as you can see, this day has no real structure to it, you can just relax as much as you like. If anyone gives you any trouble, I'm authorizing you to use anything but deadly force to scare some sense into them."

He reached his index finger towards my waist and untied my obi sash.

"The only other thing I ask of you is that you at least get in the spirit of the party."

He was right. I loosened up a bit, removing my shihakusho.

"Fine, I indulged you, but I expect you to do the same for me."

"Oh? And what do you have in mind?"

"Tell me about that lieutenant of yours. Why did you pick her above all of the members in your squad?"

He paused, as if collecting his thoughts.

"Ahh, my Nanao-chan. We go way back: centuries even. She was one of the youngest shinigami to ever graduate from the academy, younger than Ichimaru Gin. She was, and still is, vastly intelligent, as one of her age needed to be in order to compensate for strength. She reminded me of my old lieutenant, and is just as beautiful."

She appeared flattered and blushed, but her countenance spoke of disappointment in her captain's behavior.

"Though by your account we are 'even' in terms of concessions, may I inquire about your nature? That is, your thoughts on the other espada, alive or dead?"

I let a laugh escape, reminiscing on his address that I read last night.

"Oh? What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I'm just thinking that someone I know wants to say hello to you."

I drew my katana, pointing the tip of the blade at his face. He seemed unfazed, although the other members of the squad began to worry.

"Lilynette, would you like to make a formal acquaintance?"

Shunsui was quizzical. He seemed to realize what me calling her name meant but was still dumbfounded by the prospect. Lilynette responded with her captive, metallic voice.

"What do you mean? This guy killed you, _remember_? Why should I kiss up to him?"

He chuckled, wiping the surprise from his face.

"So I didn't kill her, eh? That's good to hear."

"Doesn't mean I'm not mad at you, dumbass!" Lilynette exclaimed.

I smacked Lilynette across her hilt. She cried in pain.

"Ow! Starrk, that's my butt!"

"In any case, that's no way to talk to our new friend, Lilynette."

With that, I sheathed her back into her scabbard.

"Well that was pleasant. How about the others? Rather let me phrase this in a manner equivalent to when you asked about our (captain's) bankai: Which one of you is the strongest right now? In that, what meaning do your numbers hold anymore?"

It took a mite of pondering from me to come up with a coherent answer. Much had changed in each one of us. Ultimately, however, I doubted my analysis would hold any real validity so I required little confidence in my choices.

"Well… it's difficult to answer that with any seriousness. The question is rather ambiguous. In terms of sheer ability, I think it's a tie between Halibel and me. I may have a load of power behind all of my kidou shots, but Halibel is an incredible fighter. Her outburst against Yama-jii didn't do justice to this reputation. She has a spiritual pressure that's almost as thick as steel when she wants it to be. Nnoitra looks really strong, but his expertise is in concentrating his reiatsu. Baraggan, even though he has fared quite well throughout all of these years, is probably the weakest. Sure, he cleaned up most of the mess during that hollow incident, but without some of his gimmicks, he is completely powerless. His age is causing his strength to wane. His only real strength is experience which allowed him to become captain so easily. Grimmjow is somewhat weak, but where he lacks in power, he makes up for in ferocity. He definitely has potential. Out of all of us, though, Ulquiorra probably has the most potential. My opinion of him is best reflected in what you said about that tenth squad captain: he will probably surpass me, as he is a prodigy. Ulquiorra acts deceptively older than he really is. He's actually the youngest out of us espada. His maturity extends beyond his years. He just needs to sort things out for himself. He's very dependent on a commanding figure. Once he finds a decent motivation for fighting, it will likely rocket him past the rest of us in a heartbeat."

"Interesting: you are more like me than I initially conceived. Your faith in your comrades wasn't evidenced very well in our previous bout."

"That's because it was to our advantage, back then. Though some of us would cringe at the idea, the element of surprise is a vital component of victory. I digress, though. I detest fighting. Maybe for a different reason than you, but nonetheless that is my stance."

"Oh? And what reason might that be?"

"I don't see any point in _fighting_. Confrontation is something I can understand. Opposition can occur and I accept that. But I believe that such conflicts should be resolved on contact. If you can't gauge your opponent's strength, you're probably not skilled enough to do so in the first place. Fighting is just struggling from reality. The winner and loser are predetermined indefinitely. Not by fate, but of their own accord. Do you see why now I hate fighting? Casualties stem from pointless resistance, resulting net losses no matter what. When people have to fight, there is an inevitable loss. That very notion is enough to engulf me in depression."

Kyouraku seemed heavily invested in my dialogue. I appreciated his attention to my mind's thoughts.

"Likewise, I would hate for you to carry on through the day in a despondent mood," He cocked his head to the right where his lieutenant stood. "Oi! Nanao-chan, show Starrk how we celebrate in the eighth division!"

Hesitant, she escorted me to the pools where other shinigami were playing games.

* * *

Later that evening, around dusk, after much indulgence to the party-goers, I confronted Shunsui. I ambled towards his hammock whilst towel-drying my face.

"Oi! Shunsui! When does this 'party' end? I think I've had about enough for today!"

I spotted a rustling in some bushes underneath a tree. He emerged, in a bit of a doltish fashion, with his straw hat whopper-jawed.

"Oh, come on, I haven't seen you drink even a drop today! Here, _imbibe_."

I hadn't the faintest idea of what he was referring to until I saw it in my hands. He gave me a flat dish filled with sake. I looked back up at him to see his almost menacing grin. Nevertheless, meaning not to offend, I acquiesced and downed the whole bowl.

My, my, it seems like an eternity has passed since the last time I've had alcohol. Perhaps it was the time that had passed to cause such a low tolerance, but I had already begun to become somewhat giddy. We talked about the other captains, mockingly. I couldn't contain my laughter after a while. He was in a similar state. I continued, although it was near impossible to form cognitive sentences while trying to subside my cackling.

"Hahaha! Yeah! And what about that Kenpachi-kook? What's with his hair? Is he trying to impale some birds as they pass by? Is that his meal-plan or something?"

Kyouraku shared my hysteria, though he was more capable than I of giving sustained answers. He took another swig from his bottle before speaking.

"Heh, yeah, he says it's to give his opponent an advantage while fighting or something like that. The guy's really crazy about fighting. I'm sure your quinta and sexta espada friends will have a trip in his squad. He and I are pretty much polar opposites, but we all find a way to get along."

He paused and resumed with a more callous tone.

"I'm sorry to request this of you in this state, but could you prove to me that you really despise fighting? I don't mean to imply that you aren't a man of your word. I just want to have a little fun testing this theory of mine."

My wits were absent. It took a minute for me to process what he was suggesting.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't tell me you're salty at me for pointing my sword at you. I thought you'd be humored to know that Lilynette was alive."

"This has nothing to do with that. I just want to evaluate you some more. Consider it the only real favor I'm asking of you today."

"Fair enough, Kyouraku-taichou."

We walked through the offices of the eighth division, simultaneously dressing ourselves. He had led me to the desolate, white courtyard. He drew both of his katana.

"We are both in a state where conscious thoughts are muddled and useless. Instinct is the only thing that can guide us in this fight. This will show our true colors, in other words."

For some reason, I was more than happy to oblige. I unsheathed Lilynette.

"Very well: Here I come!"

I charged at him with a vigor that I didn't know I possessed. Our blades clashed causing sparks to shower onto the sterile tiling. I began dashing at him from different directions, but he soon evaded this pattern and attempted to vanquish me via aerial assault. I parried his advance without turning around. I threw him off my back with a flick of my wrist.

"You'll have to do better than that, Shunsui!"

I unleashed a storm of lunging strikes at him. He was still at an advantage because of his dual wielding and swordsmanship prowess, however. I tried something rather risky, knowing that he could easily counter. I swung down with great strength and he blocked with both blades. I flipped Lilynette around and caught her by the tip of the blade. The hilt was now under his bladed cross. I tossed Lilynette upwards forcefully, causing both of us to be disarmed.

We continued our combat, hand-to-hand. It was a rather fierce melee. I scored quite a few decent blows on Shunsui's sides and on his upper arms. Our thoughts seemed to coincide for a moment and we attempted the same move. We head-butted each other, causing both of us to writhe in pain. Our foreheads locked, we collapsed.

* * *

We awoke a couple of hours later, the stars becoming more prominent. We were both gazing up at the heavens when I inquired.

"What was the point of that?"

"It was just a little test. I'm sure I adequately explained it to you. It just puzzles me to know that someone who hates fighting so much is so proficient in combat. Are you sure that we both hate fighting? Or do you just believe that conflict should be avoided?"

"I'm not sure I follow. Is there any distinguishing factor between either of those suggestions? You essentially asked the same thing twice."

"Starrk… between conflict and fighting… they are _worlds_ apart."

Shunsui had me intrigued.

"Fine, expound on this alleged difference between conflict and fighting."

"Conflict can be resolved many different ways. Whether it is arguing, submission, compromise, fighting… they are all very different pathways to different ends. Each of them has their own art. Fighting, intrinsically, is an art style. A beautiful one, I might add. The dances within fighting are some of my most jubilant moments. And, like any art, it has an emotional drive behind it. I believe your problem is that you haven't figured out which one of your emotions drive your fighting style."

"If that is the case, then what is your drive?"

"…Love. Love for my fellow man, for life, for my opponents. It is love that drove me to kill you. I believed that I saw your torment, and I saw fit to end it."

"Funny. Baraggan had a saying after Aizen showed up: keep your wits sharp and your blades sharper."

"I should then argue that your former leader is not fit to be a captain. What good is a weapon without a competent wielder? That statement might have applied when you were hollow, as you were a being of instinct. Emotions were easily amplified. Now it requires thought. The mind is the most powerful weapon of all. Here: think it fortuitous that you joined my squad. I house a sizable collection of literature within my squad's central offices. You can borrow and read as much as you feel inclined."

He said this as he stood up, extending his arm to me as an offer of aid.

"Thanks," I said.

He led me with his arm on my shoulders to his study. He lit a couple of lamps, and we spent the night reading and discussing the works of Murasaki, Yoshido, Jippensha, and some western philosophers such as Voltaire and Thoreau.

CHAPTER 10: END

* * *

I hope you all liked this installment. I read other fanfictions and I worry simply because my work pales in comparison in terms of verbosity. I like to believe it's because I'm trying to retain Bleach's shounen feel, but I fear it's because I'm slightly under-educated D:

Anyway, I hope you guys liked the drunken swordfight.


	13. Chapter 11: Bad to the Bone

First off, I am terribly sorry that it took this long to upload this chapter. I had it done last Tuesday, but FanFiction wouldn't let me edit my story. Shout outs to fellow author **SymphonysPianist** for showing me the loophole in this little glitch and allowing me to continue providing you all with delicious espada fanfiction. Go read her story, Pride of a Quincy. Endorsing her story is the least I can do to express gratitude for her service to me. Sorry to disappoint you all, but no, I don't have any work done on Chapter 12.

And for all of my **girl** readers out there, make sure to read the **important note**** at the end of the chapter. **This chapter's title comes from a song by Running Wild. (No it's not a cover of the famous one by George Thorogood.)

**EDIT:** Wow! Today (3/30, Wednesday) is the most hits I've had in a single day since I uploaded this story. I'd like to thank all of you that reviewed and helped me keep this story going!

**Chapter 11: Bad to the Bone**

Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is able to preserve himself above the animal world, but solely by means of the most brutal struggle (1). That is the core of my philosophy. It is only through conflict that we get stronger. After all, if conflict is inevitable, isn't it one's personal duty to make sure they are prepared to surmount the obstacles set in one's path? While now I waste my time, though I have known it infinite, dwelling upon such despondent perplexities that litter the rest of the world's ilk, I will dedicate my presence here to strengthening these lowly shinigami for whatever lies ahead. Even I do not know the full implications of the future, but I will see to it that my subordinates are indeed prepared.

Although I acknowledge that these captains know this particular world better than I, my methods shall not falter. Still, their knowledge can supplement my cause.

"Baraggan Luizenbarn! As former god-king of Hueco Mundo, we have determined that you would fit best in the 5th squad's seat," dictated Yamamoto.

"And what was his squad's specialty?" I inquired.

"Some of their responsibilities include attending some training exercises at the Shino academy, but mostly they specialize in intelligence," he told me.

"Intelligence? I thought your twelfth and second divisions adequately handled that."

"Not the kind of intelligence that the fifth division has jurisdiction over," explained Mayuri. "The specific title of the duty is the 'Tactical Assessment and Strategic Coordination Squadron' or 'TASC-squad' to abbreviate. Whereas my Research and Development Bureau handles such things as enemy weaknesses and adaptive technology, your charge is that of a militaristic nature. I personally recommended you to the captains, seeing as you have ample experience in commanding forces."

Militaristic stratagem, eh? Perfect: that leaves me plenty of room to do as I will.

"Very well. Do you have any specific requests of me before I get started tomorrow?"

"The only thing might bother you is the amount of paperwork, but you'll get used to it," chimed Shunsui.

"Here is your captain's haori, Baraggan-san. I was keeping it hidden in case you had reached a different verdict," murmured a timid Kira.

It suited my tastes rather well. It was sleeveless with black fur linings on its arm-holes and three lines towards the bottom as was in my arrancar jacket.

"We will be escorting you to your captain's quarters now. We would rather have you there as soon as possible to greet your subordinates in the morning," said Juushirou.

As he walked me out, I noticed that most of my kin were already off to bed. I gazed up at the waning moon, somehow feeling it to be especially foreboding.

The room seemed reasonably nice. Aizen didn't really mess with it too much: he didn't have time to. It was separated into three main sections by sliding thatched doors. The bed was puny, mounted up against the wall of the back room. He sure was a minimalist. After Juushirou left, I commandeered some mattresses from the empty rooms next to me. I piled them all on the floor and fell asleep there.

* * *

The first thing I saw when awoken was a miniscule silhouette of a young girl's figure. Her pale, childish face was wracked with disdain, at least at first. When I began moving, she became increasingly more fearful, but stayed in my presence nonetheless. To amuse myself, I leaked a hefty amount of spiritual pressure in an attempt to intimidate her. I was surprised that she could stand it so long. Perhaps she was worthy of my attention. I arose and asked of her name.

"H-Hinamori Momo, 5th squad lieutenant."

This? This little insect was Aizen's lieutenant? Surely he had better judgment than… Oh wait. I understand now. Aizen, you despicable bastard: you had this child follow you strictly so that she would be defenseless whenever you revealed the nature of your defection. Clever, but ultimately meaningless. Still, it is disheartening to know that the standards of the fifth squad are so low. I have to do something.

"I see. I am Barragan Luizenbarn, pleased to meet you," I said, extending my hand as if to offer greetings. I failed to see that this was a rather western gesture at first, but it explained part of her confused look. I retracted my arm.

"Come, child. If your admiration of your former captain is persistent even at this point, then we have quite a ways to go before we can trust each other."

She is emotionally unstable. Her confusion quickly transformed into harsh defensiveness.

"Don't you just call him my 'former captain' casually, you old freak!"

As much as I wanted to reprimand her for so recklessly back-talking, I knew that it would be a waste of my effort.

"See what I mean, girl? You neglect the fact that I am the god-king of Hueco Mundo. Though that does tell me you are overzealously loyal to ones who you determine deserve loyalty. I almost have to applaud you for your faithfulness in Aizen, even when your irrational thoughts of how he is completely contradict and negate his true state as a world-destroying mastermind."

My rhetoric only further perturbed her. Her yelling became incomprehensible. It was like the shrieks of a thousand tiny rats at my feet. I pinched the back of her robes with my index finger and thumb. I carried her out as she was kicking and screaming into the sunlight.

"Tell me, child, where do you and your squad usually report?"

"I would check the squad barracks, dummy." She stuck her tongue out at me after uttering this.

"I see, you seem like you were incredibly useful to Aizen," I said to spite her continued insults. She struggled even harder, but her meager strength couldn't even cause one of my fingers to budge.

I arrived at the barracks to find an audience of nervous shinigami. Did Aizen seriously employ so many weak-willed men? I can't tell whether the joke is on him or me at this point. I leaked reiatsu just as I did in Momo's arrival and conjured a fair amount of fright from the squad members. This will certainly be a fun activity in my time here.

"So, you are the soldiers of the fifth squad, eh? What is your regimen?"

The room was silent for a spell. They could hardly collect themselves. Shameful: is the Gotei 13 seriously this reliant on the strength of their captains? They would have been arrogant fools to deny us shinigami status. Our entrance alone has likely doubled their military power. Finally, one man gained the courage to speak up.

"Well, we're not exactly soldiers, sir. We just get dispatched on missions to Rukongai, Seireitei, and the mortal world."

Further disappointment keeps crashing down on me. I had to clear their minds of this defeatist mentality.

"Which mortal world are you referring to? We are all inevitably mortal. Death is omnipresent. You are looking at one of its hands right now. You may have been told otherwise whenever Aizen commanded this squad, but you are the Tactical Assessment and Strategic Coordination squad. Be proud of what you are, or you will drown in the depths of defeat long before it comes to you. I don't know how he ran this squad, but I expect soldiers out of you all."

"Y-Yes sir. I'm sorry, but could you tell us your name? We were given very little preparation or whereabouts."

"I, Baraggan Luizenbarn, am your new captain. I am the god-king of Hueco Mundo and incarnation of time's role in death: aging. And I am going to show you what it means to live without fear!"

* * *

I led them out to the Soukyoku Hill and decided to commence training there. It was a fitting venue to honor the essence of death.

"I want all of you to split up evenly and fight each other until you can sparsely breathe or perish. The purpose of this little exercise is to learn where your limits are so you can expand upon them. Now, make haste and do not disappoint me."

They all stared at me in gawkish array. Either they couldn't comprehend my order or they were too full of the fear that burdened them. The solution: create even more fear.

"What is this hesitance? Are you all mad? Commence your training or I will be forced to drain the life force out of you all, one by one."

With this threat, they complied. That reiatsu display was sufficient backing for my claims. The little girl was still at my side, looking on into the battle.

"You are not exempt from this either. Find a sparring partner or face my wrath."

"Why do you say that? Do you seriously intend to sit here and watch the whole time?"

"You have no right to be asking me that question, child. I should ask the same of you."

"Why do I have to spar with them, though? I'm the lieutenant for cryin' out loud! You could at least let me fight you, for all of the slander you have thrown upon Aizen-taichou."

She still refers to him with unrequited affection. How pitiful. I began laughing at her suggestion though, to a point where I could barely focus on her. I opened my eyes to see a determined look on her face.

"BAHAHAHA! HAHA! Ohhh... Wait… surely you jest. Have you a death wish? There is no other outcome between a conflict between the likes of you and myself."

Even then, she glared at me with fierce tenacity. What hope did she have? Nevermind, I am analyzing this the wrong way. A child like her doesn't think with logic. She is too young to have something as simple as rationale. I have to show her the error of her ways. That is how to educate a child.

"Very well. I will indulge your request. Assault me with everything you've got. Do not hesitate, and do not hold back."

She instantly grinned. It was almost fiendish the amount of satisfaction that I elicited by accepting her request.

"Snap, Tobiume!"

Her zanpakutou gained three alternating prongs along its blade as she drew it. A red energy encompassed it before she flung a blazing orb from its tip. Was this really the extent of her power? I captured the orb in one hand and crushed it. She attempted to use a crawling rope kidou on me, but I grabbed it and yanked her towards me. I kicked her lightly with my shin, but she was sent flying. She took a while to recuperate, slowly lifting her body up. I walked towards her and seized the top of her head. I drew my face ever closer to hers before telling her:

"_This _is why asked if you were joking. You fight an unwinnable battle. Though I want you to be proud, I don't want you to be conceited. Learn your place and improve based on that. That is a simple thing that I am asking of you and your squadmates."

Her delicate face expressed as close to a grimace as it could get. I have little patience for such a weak shinigami with a contradictorily strong hubris. Most of the shinigami in the squad were easily on par with her abilities or better. I ignored her self-pity and continued to watch. I then noticed a certain presence. Momo had apparently done well enough to distract my senses at the very least. My eyes fell upon the Soukyoku Cross. A short, slender figure was leaning against the westernmost beam. Its undulating shadowy hair gave away its identity.

"So, Ulquiorra, what have you been tasked with? Surely that captain of yours will not approve of your dithering about."

"My assignment is none of your concern, Baraggan. Your being captain most certainly merits more responsibilities than my position. Therefore, it is I who has leeway in this encounter."

"You're quite defensive… what's the matter?"

"I'm concerned with your leadership 'qualifications'. In case your mind is still having a hard time adjusting, allow me to put it bluntly: we are _not_ in Hueco Mundo anymore. As to not be impolite, I recused myself from input during our recruitment meeting."

"What point are you trying to make?" I asked, growing weary of his dallying about his own rhetoric.

"I'm saying that you treat 'troops' with reckless abandon, and that the shinigami have horribly misjudged your experience. I'm not saying this out of jealousy, as I couldn't care less about Soul Society bureaucracy. I say this as a plea. Though I share as much enmity for you as you do for me, I don't let it warp my judgment of you. I know you: you are _not_ moronic enough to not adapt your methods. Stubborn, maybe, but not just stupid."

"You dare relentlessly mock me on your free time? What gall have you to harass a captain?"

"What gall have you to harass an entire squad? Try to understand, Baraggan. My eyes may not be all-seeing, but I can see far enough into you to know that your real interest is not in training these shinigami. You still despise them. You ask that girl why she still persists, yet you revel here in your own hypocrisy. So I have come here to ask you, what is your true motive?"

I had become flustered. His constant insults were too bold for his own good. Had he forgotten that I am the god-king of Hueco Mundo? I collected myself for a rebuke.

"Ulquiorra… you are wise beyond your years, and I respect you for that. For such a young spiritual being, you have an intellect that discredits many of history's geniuses. However, your last statement was so pompous, so brimming with immeasurable pretense, that I almost felt suffocated by it. There is one thing you fail to see with your so treasured eye: all worlds' souls are connected, unified in an ultimate force. Not even death itself rivals this force, even though it is quite causative of it. Do you know what it is? Fear. It is the essence of every single emotion. It is the darkness to hope's light. Although it shines brightly, fear exists when it is extinguished. It is fear that drives the conflicts of the world. So, knowing this, how is it that you can manipulate the outcomes? Simple: manipulate fear. Make the enemy fearful of you, and make your allies fearful of defeat. It is the quintessential motivation, and I have dedicated my life to endorsing and preserving it. I hope that sufficiently answered your question, Ulquiorra."

He paused, contemplating my words. Maybe my efforts proved fruitful, getting through to that dense head of his.

"I see. Thank you for telling me this, Baraggan. At least now I know what to expect."

With that he flash-stepped to some unknown location, but I couldn't feel that despicable reiatsu anymore: good enough. I noticed that most of the shinigami lay fatigued and vanquished. A few scarred men stood above the rest. With a piece of paper I kept tucked underneath my obi sash, I scrawled a note for the standing, and it read thus:

'Victors are the leaders. Success is the seed of truth. The more you follow me, the more you shall find this to be true.'

* * *

CHAPTER 11: END

(1): "Struggle is…brutal struggle," Quote from Adolf Hitler.

* * *

So, I hope you guys liked this chapter, cos I sure didn't enjoy writing about Baraggan. For those of you that actually **read the chapter and all of those preceding it, **I hope you noticed the almost grotesquely obvious foreshadowing. I'm not saying that it's revealing the entirety of the plot, but you guys are sure free to take your guesses. Peace.

**IMPORTANT NOTE:**** For those of you who aren't dull, the logical sequence of events dictates that I will be writing Halibel's chapter next. So, all of my female readers (which is undoubtedly a small amount), I PLEAD you: give me your input as to how a girl thinks. I already have an idea of what I'm going to do (which is to say that I'm going to employ the thing that makes female characters interesting/bearable to read from a male perspective: societal pressures), but I don't want to outright ignore you all. So I implore you girls to hit me up in the reviews section, on my profile, or hit me up on my email, spidermastermindclock at gmail .com**

**Thanks for reading.**

P. S.

If you're wondering why I didn't ask for female input for Hinamori... I just don't think she's worth it honestly. Sorry for all of you Hina x (anybody) fans out there. I'm not a fan of her character or her potential, really.


	14. Chapter 12: Queen of Desire

Here it is, after more than a week of waiting. I'm returning to my regular update times to Thursdays, but please PM me or comment within your review if you like Tuesdays better. I won't be updating next week because I have UIL Regionals to attend to, and I'm aiming to go to state in science. I'll be studying an ample sum of biology, chemistry, and physics in the upcoming week. Wish me luck!

This chapter's title comes from a song by Ostrogoth.

**Chapter 12: Queen of Desire**

Though I generally disagree with Baraggan's disquietude, I can see his justification for pouting. The world we knew was precarious, but carefree as well. Compared to the free-spiritedness of Hueco Mundo's savage landscapes, the shinigami almost appear to be running a tight ship. Funny: even after a month passing, I find myself missing that wretched place.

I digress. Seireitei is full of nice souls. Even if there are some chauvinists, their appearances are few and far in between. Captain Hitsugaya is likely much too young to have explicit sexual prejudices, so my choice has some unforeseen advantages.

With Captain Kurotsuchi's last words, I was almost certain that there would be more turmoil among the shinigami. Maybe it's overconfidence, or perhaps relief, but they expressed no visible concern or surprise. They're sharper than I anticipated. Of course there would be unrest in Hueco Mundo; its king and ten of its most powerful beings were swept from them. Any kind of radical organization could be in power by now and have its own agenda. That agenda just happens to involve more threats than typical to Soul Society.

"Thank you for your report Kurotsuchi-taichou; we will dispatch soldiers according to perceived threats. Until then, you do as you see fit with this new information," commented the Captain-Commander.

The scientist captain was indifferent to Genryuusai's words. He took his place amongst the array of captain's without so much as acknowledging that he was being addressed.

"As for the six of you, we need all of you but Baraggan to make your departure. The captain's charge is an exclusive affair," commanded Genryuusai.

I was more than happy to acquiesce. I gave Hitsugaya a slight nod before the hall's doors creaked shut.

I have an affection for night. Its air smoothly embraces me and the light is soft enough to appreciate. If I were to try to stare at the sun, its light would harass me, along with the heat it drags behind it.

I find it odd, but I was… nostalgic. Not for Hueco Mundo, but for isolation. Though I loved Sun-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacchi like daughters, before that was a complete feeling of desertion and solitude. It made the oppression I faced all the more bitter. Yet, a sense of pride arose from that oppression as I surmounted the ostentatious hordes time and time again. And now that I'm in an alleged 'heaven' of sorts, I yearn for the days of endless torment. I can see why those brutes Nnoitra and Grimmjow become so restless now.

I then realized that I was pondering for far too long. Most of my comrades were already off to bed. I smirked in reflection of my own retrospective. I couldn't help it, getting so caught up in thought. I regained a conscious seriousness and marched back to my dormitory.

Every time I drift off to sleep, I feel like Tiburon might confront me. I'm not sure why I'm afraid of a fragment of my soul, but he's just so powerful. He can be quite antagonistic, but he's wise to an extent that I'm scared of. I just wish I could be like him, have his power or something. Another weird thought: I'm more fearful of a being within me than any of my comrades or an army of hollows. Hopefully some rest will clear my head.

* * *

The offending rays slowly pierced the screen doors of my room. A short girl with flamingo-colored hair burst through the doorway. I turned over to face the wall.

"Come on! Don't be shy! I just need to know if you're the one in Ken-chan's squad!" she shrieked.

'Ken-chan?' Oh no: she's looking for Nnoitra and Grimmjow.

I got up and threw off the covers on me. I was about to tell her where they were, but I couldn't help but be bothered by her senseless staring at me. She was scanning my whole body, as if she was surprised by something.

"Can I help you?" I inquired bluntly.

She ignored my question and kept scanning. She addressed me on her own prerogative eventually:

"I thought you might have been a boy at first, but you have big meat-buns (1), so that can't be right."

'Meat-buns?' This child still has to use a euphemism to talk about breasts? How simple-minded of her. Her fascination was cute and annoying at the same time. I chose to respond with a hint of the latter. I snarled:

"Are you going to sit here and stare at my chest all day, or are you going to finish your search for Grimmjow and Nnoitra?"

"You're right, boobie-lady! I have a job to do! See you later!"

She dashed down the hallway to agitate some others. If 'Ken-chan' is referring to that eleventh division captain, as she was wearing a lieutenant's patch, I'm glad that I didn't join that band of brutes and imbeciles.

* * *

I'll need to venture into the inner court if I want to reach the tenth division barracks. It's nice how high up it is, but the walls of the lower levels present a feeling of imprisonment. After I had walked up the long flight of stairs to reach the inner court, I bounded up the white walls between the towers and gates to create my own path. I startled a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman whose path I had obstructed. She exposed an unhealthy amount of cleavage and wore a pink sash around her neck and shoulders. I noticed a badge on her right shoulder with the kanji 'juu' (ten) etched into it.

Now I remember! She's the one who had a tough time fighting my fraccion. I guess I was so focused on mine and Hitsugaya's battle that I neglected to form any real memory of her.

"Hey, you're the tenth squad lieutenant, right? Could you tell me your name?"

She stared at me in horror. Perhaps the trauma that Allon caused her hasn't fully subsided yet. It can't be helped. It was truly a fearsome creature.

"Look, I know my fraccion gave you a hard time, and I did likewise with your captain, but you have no reason to be afraid of me."

She looked away from me and sighed with a hint of depression.

"Easy for you to say: I watched as my friends were ravaged by a monster and my captain and others mercilessly beaten that day."

I held no empathy for her. She must be the soft type. Her reason for pity was invalid compared to my life.

"I've been a hollow for over a century and watched countless females die as a result of prejudice and intolerance. Think about it: how many of yours did you truly lose that day? You watched Gin die, but I have loved and lost far more than you have: _trust me_."

"I'm sorry. Let's stop this conversation before I get on the wrong foot with you," she replied. "If you're asking me these questions, then you must have chosen to join the tenth squad. I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to the tenth squad," she repeated, bowing.

"I can read you too easily, Matsumoto-fukutaichou. Your formalities had the opposite emotions accompanied with them. In fact, I would go so far as to say you shirk your duties regularly, regardless of personal issues."

She looked up at me furious and offended.

"Well you sure are quick to pass judgment! How do you have any friends or social life with that kind of attitude? Who do you think you are anyway?"

"I think I'm someone who has more of a sense of identity than yourself. Enough sense to realize that you're naïve despite your age, and that things like social lives or friends are meaningless without context," I rebuked.

She was rendered quizzical. I guess I'll have to be more cautious saying things like that in front of the shinigami. They don't understand what it's like to have all the memories from being a hollow despite being a complete soul. That is a rather unique factor among the six of us, after all.

"In any case, despite personal discrepancies, I am your ally. I believe it would be to your advantage that you learn to tolerate us former espada," I continued, attempting to alleviate the situation.

"Fine, what else do you want to know?" she replied reluctantly.

"I think the most pertinent issue right now is my orders. I would prefer to receive them from the captain himself, as he is probably curious to my whereabouts."

"Follow me, then. I have some paperwork get from him."

* * *

When we approached the captain's office doors, she oafishly shoved her way in.

"Toushiro-chan! I found her! How are you doing today?"

She affectionately petted the captain in the manner of a child. His reaction ranged from indifference to slight irritation.

"Is that how you address your captain, especially in front of a new recruit? At least think about trying to be a positive role-model, if you're going to so endlessly procrastinate," Hitsugaya lashed. His tone was as frigid as his powers.

"What's with the saltiness, Hitsugaya-taichou?" she said correcting herself. "If there's anyone you should be mad at, it's _her_," she said pointing at me. "She said I'm 'naïve' and that I 'shirk my duties regularly'! Are you sure you made the right decision in accepting her?"

"Her comments are entirely accurate, even if rude. And who are you to question my choice? She's incredibly capable, intelligent, and strong. I'm surprised they all weren't made captains immediately. We're very lucky to have her in our squad. She will most definitely increase the tenth division's reputation and respect. Other than her slight banter with you, I see no reason that you should detest her presence so much," the captain said, defending me.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya-dono. I was wondering what assignment you have for me."

"Right, about your position: due to your skill and former affiliations, I'm making you 3rd seat in the squad, effective immediately. I don't have any missions that are particularly for you, seeing as things have become much less turbulent since Aizen's defeat. The only abnormal things that have happened recently are that massive offensive of hollows and that one that attacked your comrade Grimmjow. However, I was planning on sending Matsumoto on patrol around Rukongai. Since she seems to have grown rather fond of you, maybe you could accompany her."

"Wh-WHAT THE HELL, TOUSHIRO?" shouted Matsumoto vehemently.

"Do you forget your manners every five seconds? I'm surprised you aren't reprimanded for this kind of repeated behavior. Anyway, what district are we being deployed to?"

"The 64th district, Ryuuanji, Matsumoto's former home."

* * *

Why the hell is she getting so touchy? Am I somehow desecrating lands familiar to her just because I was an arrancar? She's not a bad person, but she has virtually no self-control. I don't see how a respectable captain can put up with such frequent outbursts intermitted with loafing around.

I digress, though. I'm being consumed by my confusion with her. Sometimes it's just better not to prod at such fickle details. Her hometown cosmetically outshone some of Rukongai's more poverty-stricken districts such as Inuzuri and Zaraki. Though, sparsely populated in comparison, in terms of both people and buildings, the living conditions were rather impressive for something outside of Seireitei. Most houses and marketplaces had blue-tiled roofs and spotless white paint accompanied with a holistic wooden base. The main streets expanded to about six meters across. I could only count five or six homeless people wandering the streets, but they weren't ragged at all. Matsumoto is fortunate to have grown up in such a nice part of Rukongai. Come to think of it, why would such a nice place like this need any patrolling?

"Matsumoto-fukutaichou, did our captain give any specific details on why we're patrolling a rather orderly place as opposed to a slum?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, it's a bit odd. I think he made you accompany me on my off-time cos he wants us to get along or something."

That explains pretty much everything. Why didn't she tell me this earlier? Maybe I wouldn't have implied so many bad things about her during our first formal encounter.

"But I thought you said you needed to get paperwork from him?"

"I did. It was my documentation that I needed to fill out to officially go on leave. I may be fun-loving, but I'm not irresponsible."

That's refreshing to know. I think I can relax now. We continued to walk down the street until she abruptly gasped and dashed to her right. She found her favorite candy shop and reacted like a sugar-hyped infant.

"I'll take a jar of candied beans, some sweet-bean paste, and a bag of chocolate-covered cherries!"

"That'll be 250 yen, ma'am."

"Yes, yes, here you go!" she said as she frantically doled out money from her dainty pink wallet. She gathered the items and cradled them in her arms ecstatically.

Again marching onward, looking at the passersby, I tried my best to make conversation with her, if that was the object of my orders.

"I apologize for any comments I made about you earlier that were taken out of context. I didn't know you were about to go on vacation. My remarks were purely facetious."

"It's okay, don't worry about it," she muttered while stuffing beans and cherries down her throat. She was completely indifferent to my dialogue with her.

"Was there any particular reason you wanted to go on vacation here as opposed to Earth or any scenic venues in the forests of Soul Society?"

She stopped gorging on sweets to answer my curiosity seriously. "Even though Aizen lies imprisoned within Muken right now, I still don't feel right. The war with him and all of you arrancar took its toll on all of us shinigami. But most importantly, I'm trying to discover a new purpose in my life. For a huge part of my childhood and adult life, I've been following Gin around trying to figure out what he's doing or what's on his mind. He died with me knowing his goal but not the reason for his method. It's rather painful to know that there's a slew of questions I know I'll never be able to ask him. So I decided to revisit our childhood hometown and see if it will help me reflect."

So she was opposed to me going because this hiatus is much more personal than just an average work-break? That's fair. We all have to find our ways to cope. I found myself gaining more respect for Rangiku with each level of consciousness she decided to reveal to me. I hope she can stay this way.

Her stomach began grumbling. She gave me this look of bashful embarrassment.

"Heh-heh… I think I need a drink to wash down the candy."

* * *

She urgently led me to a small bar. When we entered, a number of low-ranking shinigami were sitting at the tables in groups of four. An old woman was sweeping between the tables, ignoring their presence. Rangiku grasped my arm and led me to an empty back room with a few yellow pillows and a low table.

"I used to be a regular here, so don't worry."

A young woman adorned in a forest-green kimono, violet obi sash, and long golden earrings walked in and greeted Rangiku with a friendly face.

"We haven't seen you around these parts in ages. What brings you out here?" the waitress inquired.

"Oh I'm good! I'm just taking a friend of mine on vacation with me. Decided I'd show her my hometown and treat her to a good time."

Friend? She's referring to me quite contrary to her irate attitude with me earlier today.

"Anyway, I'd like a large bowl of Koshu (2) please."

"Sure thing. And for you?" she asked, nodding in my direction.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"Okay. I'll be right back, Rangiku-chan!"

"Are you sure you don't want anything to drink?" Rangiku asked me, as if genuinely concerned.

"Really, I'm fine. I've never preferred to drink anyway."

"Suit yourself. I know I'm supposed to be finding my psychological way to cope, but sake always helps."

The waitress returned with a bowl filled with a crisp, golden brew. Before giving it to Rangiku she asked:

"You do plan on paying for this, right?"

She reached into her wallet, then looked up at the waitress. She scratched the back of her head and laughed ingenuously.

"Things aren't like they used to be Rangiku-chan. All the shinigami here paid for their drinks. I hate to say this, but I can't let this one be served on the house. We're a bit tight on funds right now."

Rangiku ran out into the main floor and searched for someone who looked like they might pay for her drink. She ran across a shinigami with short, black, pseudo-spiked hair. He wore a sleeveless uniform with matching armband and choker. Her face lit up with glee. He seemed to be an acquaintance of hers as well.

"Hisagi-kun! It's so nice to see you out here!" she sheepishly caressed his arm as she said this.

"Oh… good afternoon, Matsumoto-san," he replied timidly.

"Hisagi, can you help out a damsel in distress? I lack the money to pay for my drink, cos I left my wallet in the tenth division offices, and I've been thirsty all day," she explained in her most flirtatious voice possible. She motioned to run her finger down her chest with her free hand.

He complied effortlessly. He paid her bill without remorse and went back to his own devices. Rangiku hurriedly swigged the bowl in unbridled merriment.

"So let me get this straight: not only did you seduce him, but you lied as well?"

"Halibel-chan, I had to pay for my drink somehow, and Hisagi is gullible enough. He's nice, don't get me wrong, he's just not my type."

"You're unbelievable. I'm still trying to conceive why you even thought it was a good idea to bring such a miniscule amount of money for a 'vacation'."

* * *

After she finished 'thanking' Hisagi, we departed the shack and visited with commoners until late in the evening. The day was pleasant: just enough overcast to block out the majority of the sun's rays yet still be dimly illuminated. Not a drop drizzled or thunder struck.

We were walking along another residential alley equipped with alternating lanterns when we heard a dreadful, wretched howl. That wailing noise was followed by a terrible shriek. A woman sprinted out of a space between houses and tripped: her consciousness lost in her hectic fright. A six-legged hollow came crawling around the wall of a house. Its legs were tapered into spikes, had an arthropod-like body, and a mask resembling a stag beetle. Its mouth lay agape between its prongs and its menacing red eyes, although pointed sideways, were fixed on its prey.

Matsumoto flash-stepped in between the monster and the woman. Before I could come to her aid, however, the monster slammed its jaws onto Matsumoto's un-released sword and overwhelmed her. The monster ignored the fact that she was a shinigami and seized the woman she was protecting. It held the woman up high as if about to devour her.

"Destroy, Tiburon!" I cried, rushing in battle rage towards the hollow. I focused the force behind my charge into the point of my blade, ramming the hollow's abdomen and annihilating it. As it disintegrated, the woman fell into my arms. She was a bit injured from her fall and the sharp teeth of the hollow, but she was going to be alright, even though unconscious at the time.

"You know, I could have taken care of that hollow just as easily as you did!" Matsumoto uttered, much to my surprise. I thought we were past this childish banter. Perhaps the alcohol had induced this behavior once more.

"Well then, Matsumoto-fukutaichou, why didn't you? You _could_ have released your zanpakutou, but you didn't. Why is that?"

"Well… I didn't think it would be that strong, and I couldn't hold it back with my regular blade, so I just…"

"Wrong. Your judgment of _its_ strength is not what caused you to succumb. It was the judgment of _yours_. We all have to be strong for ourselves, Matsumoto. We must always give it our all in everything we do. Otherwise, how can you even expect to support someone else: _save_ someone else? When my fraccion died, I mourned until the moment of my death. But do you know what I did? I kept on fighting. I strove for victory. I gave every piece of my soul into combat, and I don't regret a single moment of it. I wouldn't be standing before you now if I didn't have the resolve to live on after my loved ones passing. I challenge you, as my ranking officer, to show me that you can live with sadness, and anger, and despair, and everything else negative in this world at your side. And I want you to set yourself free."

She stared at me, bewildered by my philosophical preaching. The advice I had given her was right, but her reaction was unfitting. Then she began sobbing. I recognized the tears falling from her eyes: the kind that fell from mine just a month ago. Even though I wanted for her to reject her needless superficiality and gain a sense of independence, I couldn't bring myself to leave her alone. I decided to console her by embracing her and letting her cry into my shoulder.

As I walked her back to Seireitei, still weeping under my arms, I looked up at the moon. Its soft light guided me. Hopefully, someday Matsumoto will discover that the world is not as dark as it seems.

CHAPTER 12: END

* * *

1)) Taokaka from the game series BlazBlue refers to her friend and mentor's, Litchi Faye Ling's, breasts and affectionately labels them 'meat-buns' as Litchi also cooks meat buns for Taokaka to eat.

2)) A type of sake that has a yellow color and a honeyed flavor

I hope you guys liked this one. To me, Halibel's emotional range is very androgynous. She has the resoluteness and ardor of a man, but the intellectual sharpness, wittiness, and romantic (nature) observance. Also, I'm sorry for the overabundance of _italics_ in Halibel's last speech. I was just trying to _emphasize_ things.


	15. Chapter 13: Electric Eye

Err… hi. I know it's been three very long weeks but Chapter 13 is finally here and Ulquiorra fans can rejoice. That is, unless you don't like seeing him act OoC in some places (refer to the prologue for the origin of this behavior). That said, this chapter is long: like longcat long. But it's only because I like writing for Ulquiorra so much, so cheers to that. Enjoy.

This chapter's title comes from a Judas Priest song called The Hellion/Electric Eye.

**Chapter 13: Electric Eye**

I left that congregation relieved, but worried. They accepted us into our ranks, something I am thankful for, but Baraggan's appointment as captain is questionable at best. The only practical outcome of such an action is that he will have more obligations and be under more pressure from the captains than normally. His abilities are certainly not the reason he was chosen; that much is clear. Unless, somehow, the Gotei 13 captains have their reiatsu gaging abilities misaligned after such a taxing battle. Still, even that is far-fetched. Perhaps the best course of action right now would be to dismiss it for now and investigate later. Making a move in the night, although stealthy, would be conspicuous and, from an onlooker's perspective, riddled with nefarious intent.

Byakuya seems to be the most level-headed of the captains aside from Ukitake and Kyouraku. But the latter two are too easy-going for me to get anything seriously accomplished. He will surely have the most rational and surgical set of orders, despite his temperamental lieutenant.

The moon tonight reminds me all too much of Hueco Mundo. Just when I thought Kurosaki had saved me from that wretched existence… the fluctuating sky has to remind me. Hypocritical of me to say, but the conditions there were bland and routinized to the point of agony. Curse this moon for trying to spit on my newfound freedom.

I catch myself being scatter-brained once more. With the capability of deeper perception, one has more to process. I have been wandering aimlessly around the balconies of the upper squad towers. I mount the railing and leap down the face of one of the towers, hands in my pockets. I take a sort of scenic route, journeying down the grand staircases. As I descend, I can still see an opportune view of the rest of Seireitei. At this time of night, not a single dwelling is astir: just the moonlight painting the houses with faint shades of blue. I see our dormitories off in the distance. I decide to hop across the roofs as I reach the bottom level.

Before heading into my room, I paced across the walkway overlooking the gardens: the walkway where Grimmjow was attacked. I stopped near a post where I pinpointed a weak trace of a hollow's reiatsu. I still had a hard time believing his story that it simply opened a small garganta in the floor in order to evade him. Better yet, he shouldn't have been wounded so badly if it was just a lowly Gillian. But his blood stains lied spattered on the planks to prove it. I could feel the menacing atmosphere now. How unfortunate that one of our own had to be wounded from a denizen of our former homeland. It's quite the metaphorical slap in the face. With this morbid thought lingering, I went to bed, waiting for the night to pass.

* * *

I woke early, with the sun barely piercing the horizon. Since I had time, I went to the community showers on the lower level. I neatly folded my shinigami regalia and hung it over the empty cell next to me. I took a quick shower using only the leftover block of soap on the floor seeing as I had none of my own. It was rather nice to be conscious of hygiene once more. Hueco Mundo is quite the savage environment. Although monstrous and deceptive, Aizen at least brought some sense of civility to an otherwise barbaric land. I headed back up to my dorm after getting dressed to collect my zanpakutou. I noticed a blush-pink haired shinigami child rummaging around my room. She scratched her head, babbling to herself.

"Why is there a green katana next to the bed, but nobody else is in here? I looked under the bed, in the closet…"

"Can I help you?" I asked.

She leapt and shrieked. It seems that I had startled her. She then stared at me, dumbfounded by something.

"If you don't need anything, please step aside so I can retrieve my zanpakutou and be on my way."

Not a single word of mine penetrated her dense skull. She just ambled towards me with the same stupefied expression. She poked my knee and then grabbed my palm. She looked up at me and asked:

"Are you a zombie or something?"

"Not only will I not answer that question, but I refuse to even explain to you how illogical the conceptual basis of that pitiful excuse for a thought is."

"…Huh? You use big words urei-kun(1),"

Not only are her words idiotic, but her interpretation of me is completely inaccurate.

"It's no use communicating with you. Just move out of the way," I said grabbing Murcielago.

I hurried off to the sixth division barracks: flash-stepping across the tiers of the inner court. The captain will be expecting my arrival promptly.

I entered the captain's offices softly. If he was meditating, I didn't wish to disturb him. It was still rather early. Turns out he was just starting to do his paperwork. His lieutenant was absent, probably due to oversleeping.

"Ah, Ulquiorra, your arrival is perfectly timed," he said. "I am glad Lieutenant Abarai isn't here to listen to my specific orders for you. Please, have a seat," he continued, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk.

"What do you have in mind, Kuchiki-taichou?"

"First, I have added you to our squad's roster as an unseated shinigami. If you have any discrepancies with pride, though I doubt you have such an issue, allow me to explain. There are certain benefits to being unseated. The basic function of the twenty seats in a particular division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is to be able to command a few or several unseated shinigami for use in his own sub-squadron. The orders of the higher ranked officers supersede the orders of the lower: that is given. However, that means that I am able to command you as I see fit. Other than Lieutenant Abarai, you're the only one that I will command directly. You will act as an extension of justice, as it were, which means you won't be bogged down by the paperwork of being a seated officer. Some people would call your work that of a 'trash-man (2)' but I refuse to believe that your title need be so undignified.

"Your job will not be that of a normal shinigami, though. You are always allowed to face a hollow if need be, but your primary function will be to investigate and apprehend criminals in the districts of Rukongai. You see, the terror of Aizen's intent sent Soul Society spiraling into chaos. As such, with our focuses more on the coming invasion and destruction of Soul Society, it was hard to keep all of the citizens in line with the law. Some new criminal organizations and apocalyptic cults sprouted up with ease. While the cults mostly dissolved after Kurosaki's triumph, criminal syndicates had rooted themselves within neighborhoods and continue to run extortion rackets and lead attacks on some lower nobles that visit Rukongai from time to time. It is your duty to extinguish these bandits' and marauders' efforts in a manner that yields the least bloodshed. Understood?"

"Yes sir. Is there a particular place you would like for me to start?"

"Strategically, I think you should commence your search on the outside and work your way in. Might I suggest the 80th district Zaraki in the northern sector?"

"That seems reasonable. I will be taking my leave, if that is all you have for me."

"I'm afraid that's all of the official orders I have for you. However, I noticed a reaction you had during our assembly last night. When Genryuusai announced that Baraggan would become the fifth division captain, you shut your eyes, as if disgusted. Normally I would regard this behavior as disrespectful and shallow. But your perceptions and mine are shared. Baraggan is certainly not as powerful as others in your ranks. Genryuusai asserted to us that were in disagreement with his decision that his experience with hollows and Hueco Mundo was valuable to Seireitei and that any other placement would simply not suffice. However, I know better than to trust Baraggan. Regardless if he's a hollow or not, his diabolical personality has not left him. I don't have any specific orders for you here, so you can sleuth around as you see fit. Just try your best not to provoke him. I don't want any backfire on my end. Understood?"

"Indeed, Kuchiki-taichou. Thank you for recognizing this disturbance. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in my presumptions. I will be taking my leave now."

* * *

I decided to pay Baraggan a visit first, seeing as he is closer.

He, like Kurosaki, could hardly control his reiatsu. It leaked in short, erratic bursts, due to his fading power. Still, there was something strange about its texture. Maybe it is because of his maturity or proximity to death, but it felt abnormal: almost decrepit.

I took point behind the Soukyoku Cross. I could tell that he was leading his squad this way. This desolate, solemn ground was the only place fitting for such a 'veteran' as himself.

When he arrived, he gave a speech that I couldn't quite make out at first. Then he raised his voice, sending tremors of fear into his weary subordinates. They commenced a fierce yet reluctant combat. How quaint: I recall him doing this many times during his reign in Hueco Mundo. I wonder how he rationalized something so bloody into the minds of these bystanders. The overzealous girl that was once Aizen's lieutenant bickered about something with Baraggan. He agreed to fight her, it seems. While Baraggan is somewhat withering compared with the rest of the former espada, he still possesses an immense enough strength to conquer her without effort. The poor girl lie defeated moments later, and he picked her up by the head and scolded her. I was a little too interested, it seems. I gave myself away.

"So, Ulquiorra, what have you been tasked with? Surely that captain of yours will not approve of your dithering about," he senselessly blurted.

"My assignment is none of your concern, Baraggan. Your being captain most certainly merits more responsibilities than my position. Therefore, it is I who has leeway in this encounter."

"You're quite defensive… what's the matter?"

"I'm concerned with your leadership 'qualifications'. In case your mind is still having a hard time adjusting, allow me to put it bluntly: we are _not_ in Hueco Mundo anymore. As to not be impolite, I recused myself from input during our recruitment meeting."

"What point are you trying to make?"

"I'm saying that you treat 'troops' with reckless abandon, and that the shinigami have horribly misjudged your experience. I'm not saying this out of jealousy, as I couldn't care less about Soul Society bureaucracy. I say this as a plea. Though I share as much enmity for you as you do for me, I don't let it warp my judgment of you. I know you: you are _not_ moronic enough to not adapt your methods. Stubborn, maybe, but not just stupid," I replied objectively.

"You dare relentlessly mock me on your free time? What gall have you to harass a captain?"

He was getting irritated, but I could only get an honest answer from him if I continued this belligerence. There was no point in _not_ provoking him now.

"What gall have you to harass an entire squad? Try to understand, Baraggan. My eyes may not be all-seeing, but I can see far enough into you to know that your real interest is not in training these shinigami. You still despise them. You ask that girl why she still persists, yet you revel here in your own hypocrisy. So I have come here to ask you, what is your true motive?"

As expected, he was flustered. He clamored to form a coherent response. His irate rhetoric seeped out of his stalwart grimace.

"Ulquiorra… you are wise beyond your years, and I respect you for that. For such a young spiritual being, you have an intellect that discredits many of history's geniuses. However, your last statement was so pompous, so brimming with immeasurable pretense, that I almost felt suffocated by it. There is one thing you fail to see with your so treasured eye: all worlds' souls are connected, unified in an ultimate force. Not even death itself rivals this force, even though it is quite causative of it. Do you know what it is? Fear. It is the essence of every single emotion. It is the darkness to hope's light. Although it shines brightly, fear exists when it is extinguished. It is fear that drives the conflicts of the world. So, knowing this, how is it that you can manipulate the outcomes? Simple: manipulate fear. Make the enemy fearful of you, and make your allies fearful of defeat. It is the quintessential motivation, and I have dedicated my life to endorsing and preserving it. I hope that sufficiently answered your question, Ulquiorra."

I wasn't expecting something so poetic, despite being radical to the point of ridiculous hyperbole. I tried to think of a way to pry more out of him, but I knew that he would report my intrusion had I pressed any further.

"I see. Thank you for telling me this, Baraggan. At least now I know what to expect."

I had failed in keeping him calm, but I gathered a satisfactory behavioral analysis. He was most definitely resentful of his position: not because he wasn't granted enough power, but because he was forced to ally with shinigami. He might have the agenda of turning the fifth squad into his personal army. But I'll reserve that kind of speculation for when I have gained more evidence. With this exchange I set out for my primary objective.

I figured it would be best to get there quickly and stealthily. It seems I would be reprising my role as big brother (3). I flash-stepped off the hill and darted in between alleyways when I exited Seireitei.

* * *

As I journeyed outward, it almost felt as if I was delving deeper. My footsteps began to feel heavier, as the atmosphere I waded through was thicker with the repugnant stench of unwashed, starving, homeless people and questionable meat markets. Unfortunately, most of these citizens will have to find their own salvation, as my purpose here is to reprimand the lawless. As such, I was receiving contemptuous glares from most of the street-dwellers and conniving gestures from sleazy dealers and shopkeeps. There were a few nice people wandering around Zaraki, but they were timid and fear-stricken. The longer I stayed, the bolder and harsher the denizens became.

"Shinigami scum! Take your pampered ass outta here!" yelled one cantankerous bum. A few of his alleged comrades chuckled with him.

I ignored it and kept walking. I figured I would find a district mayor or something of that sort if I kept searching for a slightly redeemable building in a sea of run-down shacks and huts.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked another disheveled wanderer.

He looked a bit violent, so in order to be non-confrontational, I complied with his request.

"Do you know where the governing body is housed around here?"

He gave me a quizzical glance. "Excuse me?"

"Do you have anything like a mayor or magistrate that runs this district?"

He began cackling uncontrollably. He could barely stand in his hysteria.

"Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Whoah, whoah… wait, you're serious aren't you? Look buddy, you must've come from the rich part of Soul Society, so I'll give you the skinny. There ain't no 'governing body' around these parts. You might find something like that if you get a lot closer to Seireitei. That said, there's two people you can go to if you need something. First one is a shinigami like you. She only comes around here every once in a while, but she's damn angel if there ever was one. Her name's Hisui Denkihime (4): generous as can be and sweet as pie. The other one is a sort of kingpin that really 'runs' this town. He is the law. He is the provider for people who are willing to pay. But eventually, there's no escaping him. Look, you didn't hear _shit_ from me, but his name's Murasaki Tsuzuru (5). Some people like the guy cos he can provide protection, weapons, and occasionally some feel-good herbs, if you catch my drift. I don't like him cos he doesn't know how to run a town. We're all still starving, and he's just capitalizing on our fear. We would try and fight him, but he's pretty fearsome and has some intense wealth and influence."

I honestly wasn't expecting this encounter. He divulged a considerable sum of information. I drew him in closer, gently.

"You made the right choice in helping my investigation. In fact, you just saved me some time I would have wasted wandering around without satisfactory results. I believe it is in order that I repay you."

I approached one of the grocers and asked if he could give that wanderer some onigiri. He looked me with a face riddled half with confusion and half with disdain.

"Are you fuckin' stupid or somethin'? You want _me_ to give _him_ some free food? Get lost, ya dumbass pretty-boy, before I stick a knife in your eye."

"Take a close look at me, shopkeep. Are you sure you want to trifle with a shinigami?"

"What have I got to lose? You're just another asshole trying to push me around."

I sighed. I was morally obliged to repay that wanderer, so I focused my spiritual pressure on the shopkeep. He was practically suffocating.

"I'll tell you what you have to lose: _your life_. I can show you true despair. I know you haven't experienced that yet, despite your impoverished living conditions." With that, I let up my spiritual pressure.

He wheezed in relief. He hectically threw together some onigiri and handed it to me. The wanderer took it from my hands with a crooked smile. I revisited the grocer in order to ask him about this Tsuzuru character.

"You seem to be doing well in an otherwise economically recessed locale. Is it safe for me to assume that it isn't just coincidence?"

"I don't know, man. You're pretty scary for some shinigami schmuck. What's it to ya?"

"Please, sir, don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I just need to know any information you have on Murasaki Tsuzuru."

He quivered as I spoke this name. Beads of sweat ran down his wrinkled forehead.

"Don't just go sayin' that name in public," he worriedly whispered. "He's got agents everywhere, he'll…"

He was interrupted by the screech of a knife whirling straight towards his head. Luckily, the assailant wasn't clever enough to step quietly on the rooftops or conceal his reiatsu. I caught the knife between two fingers.

"Congratulations, Mr. Shopkeep: someone seems to have bought you a ticket out of this exchange. Now if you'll excuse me…"

I threw the knife backwards attempting to incapacitate the assailant. He was at least clever enough to dodge, however. The thug began a sluggish getaway across the rooftops. Without effort, I intercepted him with shunpo. The thug wore an open gi and some torn shorts along with some head wrappings and wooden sandals. He was a young adult, looking as if in his early twenties. He was a bit emaciated due to the poverty of the area. He was dirty as well. He chuckled, as if victorious.

"Shinigami scumbag… You think you're the law? I've got news for you, then. There ain't no law around these parts: only power. Take a good look around you, dickhead."

Several of his comrades prepared to ambush me on the rooftops. I could count about twenty of them. They were all about the same age and dressed in similarly impoverished attire. Their faces were riddled with murderous intent.

"You ready to die, death god? Cos if you are, at least put up a good fight. My buddies and I have been bored for a while and needed some sport to satisfy us."

"Sport, you say? Very well…" I pointed a finger at myself and repeated the words, "Bakudo no ichi: sai (binding spell #1: restrain)."

My arms locked behind my back. I could easily break free, but it prevented me from being able to use my arms for the purpose of combat.

The thug began to laugh once more. "I think yer doin' it wrong, dumbass!"

"What I did was intentional, trash. You said that encounter would be 'sport' for you and your allies. In the interest of fairness, I gave myself a slight disadvantage, even though I'm ultimately going to overwhelm you. On the terms that I win, you all must divulge information on your boss. If I lose, I will go away quietly."

"Pretty cocky for shinigami scum: sorry, but we don't think yer gonna just walk away from here. You're gonna die, SHINIGAMI DOG!" he cried, rushing towards me with a spare kunai.

The moment he went in to stab me, I side-stepped and kicked his ankle slightly. He collapsed as his lower leg's bones shattered. The cocky thug writhed in pain. His screams were quite pitiful.

"Do you see why I tried to ease the burden on you and your fellow vagabonds? My power is far beyond your comprehension. I wonder if they will try to save you."

They were shaken but not defeated just yet. Two more rushed out of the crowd. I jumped and kneed one fellow in the arm and flipped to strike the other assailant in the chest with my heel. I softly landed as two more men joined the original offender on the rooftop, wallowing in agony.

"Either your resolve is serious or this man, Tsuzuru, has more influence than I had conceived. Regardless, your efforts are fruitless. I would suggest that you surrender now. I will bring no further trouble if you detail Murasaki's whereabouts."

The man that I had originally incapacitated feebly rebuked, "Eat shit and die, shinigami, you don't know shit about living here and ya never will."

"GET 'IM, BOYS!" he yelled as a final attempt at victory. I decided to stop playing games and freed my arms. I maneuvered fluidly through the charging brutes and broke various limbs with palm-strikes and wrist-chops. In a matter of seconds they all lie defeated, unaware of most of my movements because their senses couldn't keep up.

I grabbed the first thug by his collar held him above me. He mustered up enough strength to wriggle in my grasp.

"It's useless: you have lost. I'm not playing games with you any longer. You thought you and your men had found a sport, but what is holding you up right now is an instrument of justice. I _need _you to give me information on Murasaki Tsuzuru. He is the reason for your poverty and oppression. We can send aid afterward, but right now, the only pertinent issue is the apprehending of this criminal warlord."

The thug finally came to a sense of reason and stopped his relentless assaults.

"Ya just don't get it, man. Tsuzuru's a monster. He practically terrorizes everyone in this town. He owns everyone's lives. Without him, we're all goners. We have to survive somehow."

Then it struck me: that smug curmudgeon Baraggan was quite right in his assertions of fear controlling the people. They were all under the illusion that they were doomed either way. Finally seeing his reason for harassing me, I suggested to him something that will simultaneously provoke his thoughts and calm him. I let him down just a little but still kept my grip to tell him.

"Have you ever considered that there's somebody that even Tsuzuru is afraid of? I don't think that this particular boss is the ultimate. You can help me dig deeper and release his vicegrip if you just tell me where I can find him."

He trembled before grinning and delivering his reply.

"You'll find him in Hell. I'll send ya there myself," he wittily remarked. He thrust the concealed kunai in his right hand toward my chest. He horribly underestimated my reaction abilities. I caught it and broke his right forearm with a flick of my wrist. He screamed once more.

"Stop! Don't hurt anyone else!" pleaded a shrieking voice from below.

As I released the heavily injured thug, I looked down at the street and saw…!

What? No… This isn't possible! Why does she bear… such a striking resemblance to _her!_

The woman that cried for peace was young and daintily dressed in a jade-green kimono speckled with lavender flowers and wrapped with a magenta sash. Her long brown hair was let free, only with a part down her left side and bangs swept away from the front of her face. Her eyes were the same jade as her kimono, but deeper. But her face… looked unmistakably like Inoue Orihime's. Even her hair was shaped similarly, to some extent, minus the hair clips. Her face was riddled with the same frustrated concern as Orihime would exhibit.

I regained my composure after being shocked by such an odd occurrence.

"Do you know any information about Murasaki Tsuzuru? That was the only intention of my interrogating of that man."

"You didn't need to do it with such violent retaliation. And no, I generally disregard him and his men, as they leave me alone," she replied obliquely. She resumed in a much more innocent tone, her body quivering, "But whatever he's done, I'm sure it isn't worth hurting so many people over!"

I was too entranced to notice reinforcements coming. I only awoke from my sublime state after she had said a few more gripes and was swiftly abducted by a similar group of marauders. She squealed as they made a frantic escape towards a den off in the woods. A few stragglers tried to face me. I dealt with them in a non-violent manner as she wished.

"Bakudo no yon: Hainawa (binding spell #4: crawling rope)," They were all ensnared and fell to the ground.

* * *

I pursued the marauders into the woods to find a humble hut. They had disappeared, and I assume to nowhere but there.

Its battered door creaked open as I entered. All the windows were boarded over, so sunlight only came in through thin slits. Otherwise, for mid-day, the hut was empty and pitch-black. A candle suddenly lit followed by an array of torches. The display was accompanied by a man's fingers snapping.

The room was like a royal dining room with a long table and twelve chairs. Formally-dressed men filled the eleven chairs that were facing me. The snapping came from the hands of a man in a chair that faced the opposite end of the room. Two bulky thugs stood next to this throne: one was holding the woman. She struggled in distress but couldn't budge the thick arms restraining her. Her mouth was also taped shut. The man sitting in the throne facing away from me stood up. He walked around and showed me his face.

He was much younger than any of the men that occupied the hut. His hair was short and shaggy. It was colored with deep purple. He wore a tattered gi, hakama, and samurai's pauldrons of the same color. He grinned with fanged teeth. His eyes were crazed and bloodshot around brown irises. He had a fair complexion that didn't fit with the filthy thugs from earlier. Yet, they were undeniably linked. The only other thing that he had on his person was a short, black-scabbard tanto. He discoursed in vile and lecherous pronunciation.

"Ya know, you _really_ have a knack for getting into other people's shit, kid. If you weren't so interesting, I would have killed you myself already. But allow me to formally introduce myself before I get too carried away. I am Murasaki Tsuzuru: your everything-liaison and militia extraordinaire."

I paused and thought. Is this measly ant really a crime boss or a warlord?

"Ya seem scared, as ya should be," he uttered, drawing his tanto. Blood stained and crusted all down the blade. "This is the source of that fear: a reckless killer in the day or night. This blade is why people beg for mercy from me. Whether that mercy is granted or not depends on what kind of mood I'm in. And…"

"Let the woman go," I interrupted sternly.

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? You? A scrawny, pale-ass little shinigami demands something from _me_ when _I'm_ speaking?"

"Give up already," I said ignoring his arrogant self-check. "I was severely mistaken. You are nothing but a slightly talented madman. Your cause is already lost."

"Already lost, eh? Well the same could be said of this woman's life," he snarled, seizing her from the hulking man to his right. "You think I'm actually going to have a standoff with you for her life? As far as I'm concerned, she was just bait," he gazed into her eyes with his insane ones. "Say your goodbye's, bitch!"

In the moment he thrust the tanto at her throat, my heart was racing, and my eyes widened. Without thinking, I flash-stepped, grabbed the tanto out of his hands, and stabbed him through the abdomen with it: all at blinding speeds. I had saved her life, but I had ended his. He bled profusely on the ground, clinging to whatever notion of life he had left. I could now only bear the burden of my rash, violent action.

But why? Why did his death fill me with guilt and not the countless others that I've slain? Was it her presence? I have never felt like this.

Apparently, however, he really was the strongest member. With him lying dead, the others cowered, knowing the extent of my abilities.

"You are not free to go. I hope you all know that. You have conspired with a criminal and will be judged as such. So, will you allow yourselves to be arrested, or will you force me to exert myself once more?"

They all submitted and allowed themselves to be put in a binding spell. On my way out, I ripped the tape off the woman's mouth.

"Hey! Wait!" she exclaimed. "There's no use in hiding it anymore," she said, ripping off her kimono to reveal a shinigami's robes.

"My name is Hisui Denkihime. I am the seventeenth seated officer of the sixth division. I wanted to thank you for saving me."

Hisui Denkihime: of course she is. Even their names are similar.

"There's no need. If anything, I should be apologizing to you for not following your orders, as I am an unseated member of the same division. I was under orders of a higher ranking officer to investigate here however."

She smiled: the kind of smile that only someone pure of heart can even attempt. This emotional reaction was completely unfitting for my behavior, but she did the unexpected anyway.

"Well then, maybe you could follow another order I have for you: let me accompany you on your journey back to Seireitei with these men in custody."

I saw no reason why not to. It would be the safest decision for her.

"As you wish, Hisui-san."

"Oh please, there's no need to be so formal, we're the only shinigami here."

We headed back through town. We were intercepted by a ragtag group of children. They all crowded around Denkihime.

"Are you leaving?" one asked. "Will you be coming back?" asked another.

"Of course! Of course! And I will make sure to bring a new batch of sweets like I always do."

The children all skipped and cheered with glee. They were absolutely thrilled to know that they were getting something as simple as candy delivered to them. The bum from earlier really told the truth. Her kindness was astounding. It was almost illogical how generous she was.

* * *

When we reached the inner court again, we went our separate ways.

"Bye! I hope to see you around!" she said enthusiastically, prancing off to the other end of the sixth's barracks.

I brought the criminals into the captain's office.

"Ah, Ulquiorra, I'm glad to see you've returned this evening with a plentiful sum of transgressors. Abarai, would you please escort these gentlemen to the squad's holding cells?

"Sure thing, Kuchiki-taichou," he responded in his gruff voice, departing.

When we were alone once more, he began conference with me.

"Is there anything you would like to report about your days' work?"

"I might have prodded Baraggan too much too soon, but he certainly showed signs of resistive behavior."

"I see. Anything else?"

I paused, contemplating how I was going to put it to him how I let my emotions get the better of me.

"Do you know who the seventeenth officer in our squad, Hisui Denkihime, is?"

"I appointed her based on her application, but I've never seen her in person. Why do you ask?"

"None of those criminals I brought in were the gang leader. The leader was a young man named Murasaki Tsuzuru. I killed him without hesitance as he threatened Hisui's life."

Captain Kuchiki closed his eyes and waited for a few moments. He smirked.

"So you think that I'm going to reprimand you for acting so out of turn? Ulquiorra, let's get one thing straight: you made a mistake, and you'll need to control yourself a little better in future missions, but I am not disappointed in you at all. You have excelled in every way possible. The fact that you did something so rash just to save a woman's life is just proof that you have a heart. Do you think I haven't done something equally as irrational or reckless? We are not perfect beings, Ulquiorra. You should take pride in your surgical precision and combat efficiency. I want you to have the rest of the evening off. I'll begin writing a report. You're dismissed."

A staunch, law-abiding man like Byakuya has just asked me to relax: how blissfully ironic.

I walked out of his office and stared into the setting sun. I took some time to digest his advice. 'Proof that I have a heart' eh? It seems like it hasn't even left my hand.

CHAPTER 13: END

* * *

(1)) 'urei' is Japanese for 'depressed' hence Ulquiorra's disapproval of the moniker.

(2)) Trash-man is a term used in the manga/anime Hellsing that denotes Alucard's position as a sort of hitman.

(3)) Big Brother is a central totalitarian ruler in the novel 1984. One of the famous lines in the early part of the book is 'big brother is watching you'. This describes Ulquiorra's surveillance, though not as comprehensive as the telescreens in 1984.

(4)) Hisui Denkihime, in Kanji terms, means 'jade electric-princess'. Corny, I know.

(5)) Murasaki can be interpreted two ways: it can be interpreted as the separate words 'mura' and 'saki' which mean 'village' and 'leader' respectively. Or it can be interpreted as the whole word 'murasaki' which means purple. Tsuzuru essentially means cunning.


	16. Chapter 14: Engel

First of all, I'd like to thank anybody out there who still finds interest in these stories and has put up with my schizophrenic writing. Thank you for sticking with me even though these last two updates have been rather slow. I'm about to graduate high school though, so I'll have plenty of time to write in the summer.

This chapter's title comes from the industrial metal band Rammstein (and for those of you out there who are hardcore Rammstein fans who think that Zerstoren or Buch Dich would have suited Nnoitra better, I'm sorry. I just like the sound of Engel better and its focus on the hopelessness of mankind).

**Chapter 14: Engel**

Why are they taking so long? Their incessant chatter couldn't be any more painstaking. Ulquiorra buttering up that noble faggot, Starrk and Halibel flattering their conquerors, Baraggan trying to out-arrogant the Baraggan from a couple of seconds ago: it's all so mawkishly repetitive. At least Grimmjow and I were curt, though Grimmjow tagging along wasn't in my interest. But their buzzing wouldn't stop. I felt as if I had decayed a little when the geezer finally dismissed all of us but Baraggan. Old cooks seem to favor each other. That's all the explanation I need for Baraggan being captain. Nope, can't have any of us reckless youngsters in such an aggressive militaristic position because we don't have enough experience.

What the hell? It's already dark outside? Damn. That stupid meeting took as long as it seemed. All just to give us some clothes and have six people pick where they want to go. The others were conversing and pondering as they lumbered out the wooden doors. They move way too damn slow. I would be restless, but I figure sleeping is the only thing that can take me away from my boredom at this point. If Grimmjow is as combat-hardy as I think he is, he should share the same thoughts, but I didn't care. I thought all of this as I strode away from that lot. I didn't even need to exert myself to get across Seireitei quickly. I sensed Ulquiorra flash-stepping across the rooftops after he finally stopped being lost in thought. By the time I saw him though, I was only about a quarter of a kilometer away from the dorms. I fail to see why the others put so much effort into such minute tasks. They should consider saving their energy for more serious endeavors and enjoying the present while it lasts. It's what I do. The silence is nice. For every nice noise, there's a thousand others that are harsh and cacophonous. There's so many nuisances to be had. Calm like this is the only real thing I enjoy other than fighting.

As I enter my room, I start to think: why do I like fighting so much? It contradicts the calm that I enjoy outright. Perhaps it's because my senses are completely drowned out by constant thrills. There isn't an accurate sensory description for bloodlust. It's an instinct that you just kinda have to feel. That said, I hope that the eleventh squad is up to the jobs it so boldly proclaims. But I'm getting a little too anxious. I need to stop angering myself and just go to sleep.

* * *

I was in for a rude awakening. The stench of an annoying child disturbed me out of sleep.

"Good Morning! Are you part of-"

I smothered the entirety of her face with my palm, interrupting her squealing voice. I pushed her away as I sat up. I turned my head to look straight at her.

"Who the fuck are you?" I asked.

"I'm Kusajishi Yachiru! And you are pretty rough, so surely you're in Ken-chan's squad!" she squealed once more.

Oh yeah. Now I remember. This pink-haired shrimp is Kenpachi's lieutenant. I remember her watching our fight, stupefied. I walked out into the hall to see that she had awoken Starrk and Halibel. They shared my disgruntled attitude.

"So I'm guessing you're our escort? A lieutenant seriously has nothing better to do than to lead a couple of assholes like me and Grimmjow around? I know I don't normally care for it, but the bureaucracy here is pretty fucked up."

"That's right! You'll be coming with me!" she said pointing to herself with both hands. I don't get why she's so excited. I'm basically calling her stupid, but she still seems suspended in bliss. Maybe she's too stupid to get that I'm insulting her.

"Alright, well let's go get Grimmjow. Let me show you his room, since you're likely to intrude into someone else's room and wake them up with your vociferous shrieking."

I was a little ticked and decided to blow off some steam by kicking down Grimmjow's door.

"Open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the Nnoi-tor-a!" I sang(1) as the door flew through the window next to his bed.

He sprang up, crazed and startled.

"What the hell was that for? That glass could have sliced up my whole body!"

"You've suffered a hell of a lot worse injuries, pussy. I decided to do you a favor by waking you up before this little bitch decided to harass more people with her shrill cries."

"You do nothing but mean things, Suizan(2)," commented the pink-haired brat.

I turned to her with a fake smile and spoke through my teeth, "My name is Nnoitra, you dizzy bitch. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not weaker than you. I could crush your head between my fingertips."

"Just because you look so gross doesn't mean you have to bully me," she retorted.

I did my best to suppress my rage. Kenpachi wouldn't be too happy if I decided to decimate his lieutenant.

"In any case, get your ass in gear, Grimmjow. I don't know if you're eager, but I sure as hell am."

"There's just no patience with you, is there?" he whined.

He was dressed enough to come out. I grabbed his zanpakutou and shoved it at him. After he took it, I seized his arm and threw him out into the hall.

"You're damn straight there isn't."

He was sitting down against the wall, rubbing the back of his head. He got up knowing that I would remark once more about his weakness.

"I see you're game finally. Shall we?" I said, holding my hand out and gesturing towards the outside of the academy.

So we strolled, though it seemed I was dragging him along, through Seireitei and proceeded towards the eleventh division's captain's offices.

* * *

The room was completely desolate: devoid of even the most simple décor or furnishings. The only thing that populated the room was Grimmjow, myself, a couple of chairs, and a desk. And the entire room itself was riddled with dust and cobwebs. You think he'd have at least a couple of cabinets to store his paperwork. Then it hit me: he hates that bureaucratic bullshit as much as I do. He probably burns it the moment it reaches his hands. He must never even touch this room. He has to be in the barracks or another training ground.

"Come on, professor dickweed: we won't find the porcupine unless we visit his natural habitat," I told Grimmjow.

"I suppose you're right commander cockbag. Let's just hope they haven't started the party without us."

We walked past a couple of buildings until we heard a commotion through a door. The yelling and shouting was laced with rage and adrenaline. I could already tell who was fighting despite not even knowing their names. I could sense the reiatsu of the bald guy and the feather-faced pretty boy. I busted open the door and greeted them:

"Como estan, bitches?"(3)

There were others populating the room, spectating the fight, although our entrance immediately stifled it. Captain Zaraki was at the back of the room sipping a small cup of tea. I walked up to him as Grimmjow drudgingly followed.

"Why the hell aren't you drinking the good stuff at this time of morning? I never would have expected a beast like you to drink something so civilized as tea."

His expression was motionless. A stoic frown accompanied by equally stony eyes.

"If by 'good stuff' you mean sake, then don't fool yourself. First off, that stuff tastes like a horses' ass. It's also stupid to drink first thing in the morning. I want all my senses about me to enjoy a good fight. Besides, the shit barely fazes me," he replied.

"Well excuuuuse me, princess! Would you mind explaining the entertainment on the agenda for the royal court?" I joked.

He closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment before responding, "You know, I hadn't really thought about it. We're just holding zanjutsu casual matches like we do every day when we're not deployed. To be honest, I hadn't considered you two entering this little sport, mainly because I forgot about you two joining."

Really? Oh well. At least he's as much of an asshole as I remember. It figures that he's completely inconsiderate and ignorant of anything else besides swordfights. He really is dedicated.

"Well now that we're here, how's about a little round for either of us?" I suggested

"Tell ya what: I'll let you in on a little secret. Our fourth seat has been vacant for years. We've just never officially recorded it. Yumichika insisted that five was a more 'beautiful' number, so I let him remain in the fifth seat. But seeing as you two are pretty powerful and that we're holding competition here, why don't you two square this position away: in a fight."

"Those are the exact words I wanted to hear! And my opponent will be at least somewhat able to not be overwhelmed by me in the first second of the match!" I cheered.

That same sinister smile swept across his lips. His sharp and jagged teeth filtered heavy breaths of sadistic pleasure.

"Perfect! Here, take your weapons," he said as he tossed us a pair of bokken(4).

I could feel my face convulse in confusion. I had a hard time even trying to begin to think of a reason why he would spite us with such an outright insult. Even he isn't cathartic to insult the spirit of a fight.

"What the fuck is this supposed to mean?" I inquired bluntly.

The stoic frown returned as he replied, "What do you mean? That's what the others have been doing up until now."

I looked over at baldy and fagballs to notice that they were both holding bokken as well. Still, I hope he realized that he was the only one in the squad that could even hope to rival us.

"Yeah, that's what the _others_ have been doing. I'd like to think that Grimmjow and I are not complete fucking pussies. If you make us fight with these toothpicks, every match will end in a stalemate and sawdust."

"Well I can't have you two seriously fighting and killing each other. At least not so soon. Are you both sure that you want to fight with your own swords?"

Though I despised Grimmjow still, we both looked each other in the eye and nodded. Good. I was hoping he would be up to the challenge.

"Alright, you two can start whenever you're ready."

"Yes!" I cheered once more. "Oh, and one more thing about the fight: I also can't guarantee that the fight will stay in this building either."

* * *

We both circled around the floor, equidistant from each other, unreleased blades in hand. This tense mood wasn't fun at all though. I had go into the fight a bit more light-hearted. I decided to lighten the up a little. I stopped pacing, held my sword out inverted, and shouted:

"Heaven or Hell, duel one, let's rock!"(5)

My arm whipped around to Grimmjow's right side and he parried with his sword in one arm as well.

"That's good, you still remember how to block. But your parry is a bit weak. Don't disappoint me so early!"

He only smiled and pushed away. I'm impressed that he can take my pressure at all. I would try and dodge if I was him. But there's no sense in taking away the lion's pride. If he wants to take my hits full force, it's his funeral.

I twirled my zanpakutou between my fingers and struck down towards Grimmjow's head. He still continued to parry my blows with considerable success. Time for me to prod him some more. I slashed horizontally for my next blow. Before he could parry, however, I hammered the back of my blade with my free left fist, forcing him off his feet.

He flipped but landed on his feet. However, when I continued a barrage of similar blows, he eventually lost his balance. He hit the ground flat then sprang back up by pushing his palms against the floor. He was losing ground quickly. Shame. I hoped he could keep up with me. He's using his whole body and I'm barely using both of my arms. He also needs to be much quicker. I hammered him down with a vertical strike, then took his legs out from underneath him with a short sweeping kick. I caught him by his leg as he was spinning in the air. I hurled him out the windows, shattered glass and wood rained down on the white tiles outside.

He recovered but with a few wounds on him. He assumed a fighting stance once more, though I could sense he wasn't putting all of his energy into it.

"I'm not fucking around here, Grimmjow. You're going to die if you keep thinking this is a game."

He only smiled foolishly, as if he had something up his sleeves. I could understand Kenpachi smiling because he loved the fight, but Grimmjow isn't that much of a masochist. He doesn't understand the gravity of the situation. He rushed straight towards me, screaming. He used shunpo to appear at my side and try to take me out there. Again, his speed was lacking. Yet, he continued his assault by striking from various directions. He was getting cocky. I kept parrying the blows, but just as I was about to slice him out of the air, he changed his strategy. He remained stationary in front of me and unleashed a flurry of stabbing motions. Once more, too slow. Also, he failed to focus all of the strikes at the body. Some of them I could dodge without even having to move. All the while he was smiling like an ignorant child. Time to discipline him.

I gripped his blade in my palm. His expression immediately turned to despair. He tried elaborate punches and kicks but I parried them with my blade.

"Here's a tip: release your sword. It's the only way you'll even have a hope of touching me."

I punted him straight in the stomach. He flew back coughing up blood. He stood once more with that sickening determination of his. He ran his fingers across his blade.

"Grind, Pantera!"

Those heinous panther gauntlets encased his forearms. He had become well versed in creating wind tunnels and shockwaves with the right types of swings of his blades. Soon, a gust of razors engulfed me and shredded my sleeves and parts of my hair. A few scratches and cuts appeared across my body that would gradually open up if I kept taking hits. There was no way I could block these sharp winds with just a katana.

"Good! Things are starting to get interesting! Pray, Santa Teresa!"

I spun Santa Teresa around with her broad side facing Grimmjow. I created a counter-acting wind tunnel that nullified his wind slashes. He will need to get close now if he wants to do any damage. He continued the same attack with scowl on his face. He flash-stepped behind me while I was still spinning my blade. He thought he could catch me off guard. I grabbed the chain with my left and whipped his ribs. He grunted in pain and was pushed back, but he kept trying. If a small whip like that knocked him back so hard, there's no way this fight is going to be as interesting as I thought it would be.

He let out two large gust-slashes then charged behind them to try and break through with a frontal assault. He rammed his four fangs at my abdomen, but I deflected them with my blade's broad side once more. As he recovered from the reverberation of our blades striking, I grabbed the back of his head with my left hand and slammed his face into the flat side of Santa Teresa. His nose bled and he coughed up blood as he staggered backwards. I looked down at him, disappointed.

"Wake up, dumbass! You can't leave yourself to damned open all the time. But I know it's no use. You refuse to use your power to its fullest potential. You're a lost cause: a grotesque failure, whose presence will be erased. I shall rectify the shameful stain that is your existence!"

With this cry, I stopped playing with him or gauging him. The fear on his face was evident as my blade came flying at him at supersonic speeds. He dodged and sprinted off. He was overcome with fear, as well as he should be, if that is the true extent of his power.

I had gained pretty good control of Santa Teresa's mass manipulation at this point. I lobbed her at Grimmjow and used the chain to whip her around like a scorpion's tail. I split her crescents so that he would be assailed on two sides. He kept dashing in evasive patterns as Santa Teresa's fangs descended upon him, time and time again. The tiled courtyard was a scarred, cratered, wasteland within a matter of seconds. A white haze of debris clouded my view. Perhaps I shouldn't have underestimated his ability to run away. He charged in for one last strike, one last slow attempt. Both of his claws were pointed straight at me, leaving his chest exposed. I caved in his chest with a strong uppercut. He coughed up a pool of blood. As he was airborne, I pounded him into the ground with the opposite elbow. He laid twitching, sending ripples across his own blood.

I wanted him to feel the reality of his defeat though. The fight wasn't fun in the challenging sense, but the satisfaction of seeing some asshole I had to work with finally getting his just desserts filled me with glee. I cackled, seized his head, and began sprinting at full speed, dragging his face across the shattered landscape. I did so for a good ten seconds before launching him, leaving the ground with a blood-smeared trail, and smacking him across the courtyard using Santa Teresa like a baseball bat. He spiraled through the air, sprinkling blood as he traveled. He barely had a hold of his life as he lay there on the ground, completely broken, begging for mercy. I leaped several meters towards him. Time seemed to slow down as I swung my blade like a guillotine. I could see the crescent approaching his neck. This is it. He's done for.

CHAPTER 14: END

* * *

(1)) References the song "Walk the Dinosaur" by the band Was Not Was. It has become quite popular as an internet meme. (yes, you'll be seeing lots of these in Nnoitra's dialogue)

(2)) Translates to "emaciated" and particularly weak, hence why he took such great offense.

(3)) References Will Ferrell's movie Anchorman whenever Ben Stiller's character shows up to a fight between two different news stations.

(4)) Wooden practice swords.

(5)) References the fighting game series Guilty Gear in which the announcer says those lines at the start of each round.


	17. Chapter 15: Shattered

Sorry if I rushed this chapter and it's production. I hope it doesn't turn out to be terrible from your perspective. I re-read, though, and there are still some good bits. I just felt obligated to get this out as soon as possible because of some people jumping to inaccurate conclusions.

Just to clarify, the end of the previous chapter was when Nnoitra was airborne and his blade was about to connect with Grimmjow's neck. So, this isn't much of a spoiler because you'd find out anyway in about three sentences from now but _Grimmjow is not dead_. In fact, it was more of a cliffhanger than a real conclusion. Also, chapter releases are going to be sporadic until I get my act together.

This chapter's title comes from a song by Pantera in their arguably most famous album "Cowboys from Hell."

**Chapter 15: Shattered**

I can feel his shadow descend upon me. An army of darkness is encroaching on my life. My body is broken. I'm bleeding out of every pore. The pain is so intense that it has almost faded. But I don't want it to end like this. The horror(1). The horror of my existence sinking into oblivion, to be nothing, to think nothing: I can't bear it. Just as the blade reached my throat, my bloodshot left eye watched him vaporize into thin air. I don't understand. I closed my eyes and just prayed for it to end.

* * *

I felt a certain chill course down my body. I opened my eyes and watched snow fall onto a dark, ancient stone floor beneath me. I looked down my body and noticed that my wounds were gone. I still felt crushed by gravity, but I tried getting up. I was at a sort of monastery on peak of a mountain. In fact, the entire horizon was outlined by jagged, snow-tipped mountains. The temple had a feudal Japanese architecture composed of ancient stones and wood in shades of dark brown and dark green. In the center, however, was something both brilliant but completely unfitting. On a similarly dilapidated and darkened pedestal perched a blemishless, gleaming diamond sculpture of a panther. It sat on its hind legs with its chest puffed out and head held high with pride. I approached it, it's sheer wonder and splendor overrode any lingering thoughts I had of death.

The sculpture was huge, almost the size of my own self. It began to rattle and quake. It began to chip, but it didn't lose any of its mass. It then erupted, sending diamond shards slicing through the air. None of the shards hit me. In fact, they seemed to avoid me. Before me now was a live, white panther in the exact shape of the sculpture. It's musculature was dense and prominent. Its eyes and claws were sapphire blue. A blue aura emanated from its body and encircled its neck. A blue prayer bead necklace formed from what appeared to be solid reiatsu. It climbed down from its pedestal, shaking the ground beneath it with its incredible musclemass.

Then it did the unexpected. It stood upright and asked in a thundering, celestial male voice.

"Why are you here?"

I couldn't move my mouth. I was still suspended in sheer amazement at what was taking place before me. I wondered to myself why he wouldn't ask me something like 'who are you?' or 'how did you get here?' No, instead it asked me as if it new me and if I was intruding upon it: 'why are you here?'

"Never mind my question, Grimmjow. You are too riddled with the stench of death not to be here. I shall ask a more specific question that will perhaps jog your memory a bit more: Why did you allow yourself to be beaten so harshly?"

He was so commanding. But now that I think of it, I put up a pretty pathetic fight. I was at a loss for words to describe my defeat so I answered.

"I don't know."

He sighed and crossed his arms. "Of course you don't. You don't know anything, nor are you capable of knowing anything. So any and all of my inquiries are futile. Which means I have to force you out of here so Nnoitra can finish the job. However, this is technically not my world. I have to fight you in order to make you leave. Here I come, Grimmjow."

He bounded towards me on all fours. He had a look of murderous ferocity in his eyes that I had never witnessed. I drew my blade, not knowing how it got there and tried to defend myself. I thrust the point at his face, but he simply swallowed the blade, as if it were a meal for him. As he landed behind me, I watched him chew up the katana.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to use this, Grimmjow. We shall fight on even terms."

Even terms? Hardly. Just in that one advance, I felt more force than even Aizen could have hoped to attain. My blade was like a dust particle hitting him. Where did that strength come from?

Taking advantage of my stupefied state, he tackled me and slammed me into the wall of the temple. He ran at even greater speeds grinding my head all along the wooden walls and supports of the temple, shattering them as I crashed, drowning me in unendurable pain. In a matter of seconds, I was drenched and caked in blood as I was before I got there. Is this some simulation of my death that will repeat endlessly? Am I in Hell? What did I do to warrant this punishment? Who is delivering it?

He released me and I could barely stand.

"Fight me, you coward! What happened to all the times you've looked out for yourself, strived for greater power? Are those visions just deteriorating like your body? Why? WHY DAMNIT?"

He sounded more frustrated than his proud appearance. I complied, however, mustering up the little bits of strength I had left in me to swing one final punch at him. He caught my hand and broke my forearm. I screamed in agony. I collapsed as a bloody pile. My body was numb once more. He stood on top of me, crushing me as he stomped my face into the ground. I tried to reach up and take his legs off of me, but he only stomped on my arms as well.

"You can stop struggling now. You do not exist. And if you do, you will soon be void and I will fill you with myself(2). You will succumb to oblivion. Accept your death, as it is imminent. Will you just die for me?"

As I was being mashed down to a bloody pulp something extraordinary happened. Something I didn't think I had in me. I stopped trying to resist, stopped even acknowledging that he was attacking me. I was the one becoming frustrated now. The pain was just so redundant. It wasn't even evident of death anymore, just a nuisance that plagued me regardless if I was living or dead. With that frustration, I realized that I still had pride. With that thought, immeasurable strength welled up through my body. I felt power like I had never felt before. Perhaps it was because I was standing exactly on the border of life and death. I felt the urge not just to fight, but to win and to be better than everyone and everything. With this power resonating in my voice I boldly proclaimed:

"No."

I planted both palms on the ground and thrust myself back on my feet. The anthropomorphic panther flew off my back. I knew then that I could win. The ferocious, bestial fury I possessed in days of yore surged through my veins. I could feel my eyelids peeling back, my fanged grin stretching from ear to ear. He was still floating as I charged towards him, fist pointed straight ahead. My knuckles crushed his prominent feline nose. I carried him with his face cratered back through the temple, smashing through five walls at lightning speeds. I at last pinned him up against the face of the mountain behind the temple and hailed down a storm of a thousand fists upon his entire body. He was now as bruised and broken as I was. I hardly used a fraction of my newfound energy in degrading him to this state. I concentrated all the rage I had into one last strike I delivered to his sternum.

That blow was at least ten times more powerful than a cataclysmic meteor strike. Not only did it vaporize that panther into dust, but the whole temple and mountain peak had exploded from the resulting shockwave. Standing on a few pieces of rubble, I let loose a cry of victory. I screamed at the top of my lungs in jubilant celebration. I had never attained so great a victory. I had fallen into the depths of confusion and near death and then rose up to defeat a foe whose force I felt dwarfed even Aizen's. My cheering would last for a few minutes until I heard a slow clapping behind me.

"Good, good. I was sure that we were both going to be goners. I'm glad that you realized you had the strength within yourself: that I'm not completely representative of it," declared that same celestial voice.

I turned around and gazed upon that white panther standing atop a scarred pillar. My confusion overtook my victorious cheering.

"What do you mean by that? Why the hell did you have to fight me anyway? Who are you?"

His face contorted in a way I never thought a feline could. I could tell that he was shocked, though.

"Wait, you mean…?" he paused and sighed. "You've much to learn, my master. You're pretty bad at gauging spiritual textures if you can't even recognize your own. But, then again, this is the first time we've formally met. I am Pantera, your zanpakutou. And you have taken the first step in honing and disciplining your powers."

This? This immensely powerful being is behind my blade? This panther-god is my essence? I felt simultaneously proud and disappointed. Proud that my essence took so great a form, but disappointed that I didn't realize it earlier.

"Then why did you attack me, if I am your wielder? Is it enough for you that I get so bloodied and close to death twice?"

"In order to follow the path of discipline, you must first give up everything. It is only after you have lost everything, that you are free to do anything (3). Reflect on your past. Without pain, without sacrifice, you would have nothing. For this particular trial of yours, I shall lend you my strength. Here, take these prayer beads, as a token of my… your pride."

The necklace disintegrated. The azure spheres reformed and encircled my neck. I could hardly feel their weight.

"So you could have forced me out without fighting me?"

"Indeed I could have, but what would we have gained from that? To keep following the path of discipline, I want you to study every fight and every conflict you encounter. You must not only be strong, but intelligent. For every ounce of wisdom you have, your skill will increase a thousand fold. Speaking of which, you might want to know a little something about my behavior as a blade."

Pantera used part of his essence to form a copy of himself in zanpakutou form. He tossed it over to me.

"Use our shikai."

"Very well. Grind, Pantera!"

The gauntlets reappeared around my arms. The gems in their eyes were sapphires now.

"First of all," Pantera dictated, "Panthers, along with all other felines, do not have only two canines: they have four. Grip the gauntlets more tightly. Feel the beast that is your spirit."

I squeezed the handle in my palms. Two more equal length blades extended between the two bladed fangs already present on each gauntlet.

"Good. Each panther has four fangs, thus you now know more about your combat capability. Second, the Panther is not always a ferocious beast. We are not always in a hunting mode. Think of a way to control your ferocity. Manipulate the blade to reflect calmness of the spirit."

I let go of the grip. I stroked the inside of the panthers' mouths with my fingertips. All eight blades shortened to about an inch of protrusion. They resembled miniature bladed knuckles instead of long claws or fangs.

"Excellent. Control the length of your blade in order to fit different fighting styles. If you plan on bludgeoning your way through one's defenses, use the knuckles. If you're going in for the kill, use the extended fangs. I think you've learned enough here. We have little time before both of us are doomed. I think we both have a fight that we need to win."

The sun's rays became more intense as they pierced the clouds. I was engulfed in light as I ascended towards the heavens, back into the real world.

* * *

[Resuming third person narrative]

Nnoitra's blade was only a millimeter away from Grimmjow's throat as he came out of his inner world. In the blink of an eye, Grimmjow, with the rest of his body still immobile, sprung his arm off the ground and caught the bladed crescent. Nnoitra gasped in surprise. Grimmjow stood up, still holding Santa Teresa, keeping Nnoitra airborne. A splendorous blue aura emanated from Grimmjow. The prayer beads from his inner world materialized on his neck. His face was cold, serious, and stalwart.

"From ignorance lead me to truth. From darkness lead me to light. From death… lead me to immortality," Grimmjow mumbled (4).

He tossed Nnoitra across the courtyard with a flick of his wrist. Nnoitra skidded on the tiles, cracking them under his weight as he tried to stop himself. Nnoitra's expression progressed from a smirk, to a grin, to a devilish cackle.

"Yes yes yes YES! This is a real fight! I don't know what the fuck happened just now, but you just made my day! Keep it up, please!" Nnoitra shouted.

He lobbed Santa Teresa at Grimmjow, rocketing through the air completely linear. Grimmjow stared straight through Nnoitra, ignoring his attacks. Grimmjow thrust his palms downward, sending a compression of air rippling through the atmosphere around him. He caught the blade once more as it was a few particles away from his flesh. He hurled it back at Nnoitra at an even greater velocity. Nnoitra was confident he could catch his own blade though, especially if he made it lighter.

Grimmjow flash stepped behind Nnoitra, ready to attack. Nnoitra saw that he was just using Santa Teresa to distract him from his true assault.

"Tch. That shit ain't gonna work on me, dumbass!" Nnoitra screamed.

He whipped his chain around to strike Grimmjow.

"Where are you looking?" Grimmjow asked, flying at Nnoitra's front side.

Nnoitra was simply whipping a projection. Grimmjow's speed improved drastically. Nnoitra didn't notice Grimmjow was right in front of him until Grimmjow seized his face.

"Your turn," Grimmjow said, slamming Nnoitra's face into the tiles multiple times then grinding it along the battered terrain.

Nnoitra stood up after Grimmjow released him. He was dazed, but still capable of fighting.

"Shit, I didn't think you had it in you. But I've still got plenty of fight left in me. See if you can dodge this!" Nnoitra exclaimed.

Nnoitra began spiraling Santa Teresa at cyclonic speeds. Combined with the chain, he began lunging thousands of strikes at a time at Grimmjow. Grimmjow was still unfazed. He effortlessly and casually stepped out of the way of each lunge. He grew tired of waiting for Nnoitra to get faster, so he elbowed Grimmjow in the abdomen. The blow was tremendous, not only stifling Nnoitra immediately, but also its impact cratered in Nnoitra's gut. Nnoitra coughed up copious drops of blood.

Grimmjow wasn't finished however, and proceeded to retract his fangs on his gauntlets and launch Nnoitra sky high with an uppercut to his chin. As Nnoitra began his descent from being several meters in the air, Grimmjow ascended to his height, caught him, and used his extra weight to speed up Nnoitra's crash into the ground. Just as Nnoitra was about to touch the ground, Grimmjow let go, ascended to the previous height and plummeted down as if he was a meteor to further increase the force of Nnoitra's impact with the ground.

Dust and debris shot up like a geyser. When the air cleared, Nnoitra lied still on the ground with Grimmjow standing on top of his back. His stance was rugged yet stern and clean. His feet were shoulder's width apart and his fists were at his sides, elbows angled outward.

Suddenly, the blue aura vanished around Grimmjow and he collapsed. Both combatants lied caked in blood on a trampled landscape. Yachiru rushed over to their sides.

"Suizan… Ranzatsuna(5)… are you two okay?" she asked, starting to sob.

Their bodies both remained motionless. Kenpachi joined Yachiru while the spectators of the eleventh squad tried to cope with the violent fight they saw, particularly with the crushing and wildly lashing reiatsu levels. Yumichika commented to Ikkaku:

"Ikkaku… don't you think they should be fighting for the position of vice-captain or something? I hate to say it, but they both individually had higher reiatsu levels than I've ever seen Kenpachi put out: even with his spirit energy-eater eye-patch off."

"Yeah, they're some fierce sons of bitches alright. I can't believe Ichigo and the captain took those two out in Hueco Mundo. But I think the strength of those two has changed. Those bastards are probably at an equal level with the captain now, and I'm not kidding either."

"Preposterous! You can't sincerely believe that those two outmatch our captain, can you? I know their strong, but Kenpachi is always stronger somehow."

"Let's hope so. I feel pathetic for saying this, but I'm a little afraid of having them in our squad."

Kenpachi was looking at their bodies and noticed that their chests were expanding and deflating.

"Don't worry, Yachiru. They're both still alive."

"Yay! I would have hated for them to die just fighting each other!" she cheered. "So who won?"

"Hmph. It's hard to say. They both pounded the ever-loving shit out of each other and they're both on the ground, bloody as hell. I know they're going to hate my decision when they wake up. I think they both won. They didn't hold back, and their power easily and equally rivals mine."

Kenpachi contemplated for a moment before his serious grimace turned into a whopper-jawed smirk.

"Heh. This is the closest thing I think I've ever felt to nostalgia (6). I'm just glad that these two fuckers are okay, and that their badass selves decided to join our squad. Get some grunts over here, we need to carry their asses over to the fourth's barracks."

CHAPTER 15: END

* * *

(1)) References what the character Kurtz says when he dies in the novel Heart of Darkness

(2)) Paraphrase of O'Brien in the novel 1984 in Part 3 chapter 2

(3)) Quote from Tyler Durden in the novel/film Fight Club

(4)) References the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad from Hindu origin. The translated English text is Romanized as:

_Asato ma sad gamaya_

_ Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya_

_ Mrutyor ma amritam gamaya_

Matrix movie enthusiasts may recognize the words as lyrics to the song "Navras" which plays at the end of Matrix Revolutions

(5)) Translated, it means messy or untidy

(6)) Kenpachi's nostalgia is caused by him finding the fight between Nnoitra and Grimmjow to be similar to his fight with Ichigo when he first met Ichigo.


	18. Chapter 16: Awakening the Chaos

Wow… First of all, I'm sorry. Sorry for making you wait so long, for one. I'm also sorry for giving you such an insubstantial chapter. I'm at a weird point in the story where I don't have the narrative explicitly mapped out. I know how every individual character's plot is going to play out, as well as the end of the story; I just don't have many events in mind that can propel the story towards those ends.

The reason I didn't complete the chapter earlier is mainly apathy. I didn't have a busy summer. I haven't really been swamped with college work at all, either.

Here's to hoping that I'll start publishing these on a regular basis once more.

This chapter's title comes from the BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger OST. This is v-13's theme.

**EDIT: **No update this week, maybe not even next week. I have midterms this week and more bollocks the next. But, I have started working on chapter 17 and have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing next, so don't think I'm going to take 4 months again.

**Chapter 16: Awakening the Chaos**

A couple of days have passed since the integration of the espada into the Gotei 13. Preparations are being made in the twelfth squad's research center for a team of shinigami to investigate Hueco Mundo and survey the situation there. In the main computer room, Captain Kurotsuchi is discussing the finalizations of this operation to his subordinates.

"On the surface, the purpose of this investigation is to find out any motives, reasons, or connections with Hueco Mundo's current state with the attack on Inuzuri a month before. However, as I have said before, Hueco Mundo is a treasure trove, and with these new developments, there's no telling what kinds of new secrets there are to be unlocked," Mayuri explained with a twisted grin.

He continued, "There's almost… an admirable quality to the chaos that is the land of the hollows. It's beautiful, really, the amount of turmoil there guarantees constant mutations and evolutions. I thought I had seen it all with the arrancar invasion, but there seem to be implications that the hollows are organizing more than ever before. I must get a hold of more specimens before this whole incident is over. That, my friends, is our true goal. Now, who wants to deliver this message to Genryuusai? I can't be bothered, because I'm making preparations for the lab equipment that is going out into the field there."

A new member of the twelfth chimed in: "I'll take it, seeing as I probably won't go on this mission."

"Excellent! Your volunteering is appreciated," said Mayuri, handing the scroll to the scrawny man who was the new member. "Now, run along, I'm almost getting too anxious, so you'd best hurry."

* * *

The twelfth squad's messenger hobbled over to the doors of the Captain Commander's office and knocked feebly.

"I have a message for the Captain Commander, on behalf of the twelfth squad captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri."

The interior guards opened the doors. It was midday, and Yamamoto had a rather quiet day until the messenger showed up. He perused the scroll intently, but also confused.

"I can see why Mayuri wishes to investigate Hueco Mundo, but why is he so insistent to have the espada attend?" Genryuusai inquired.

"Sir, I am only the messenger and am not aware of my captain's full intent. However, consider two things: one, the espada are natives to Hueco Mundo and therefore can serve as guides, and two, they are powerful and can serve as escorts for the expedition."

"Very well. I shall send for their assembly and brief them on their assignment. You are dismissed."

* * *

Back at the Eighth Division barracks, Starrk is lounging in a hammock, asleep with a copy of Brave New World open on his face. His arm is hanging by his side as a Hell butterfly lands on his fingertip. His slumber is interrupted by a message being cycled through his thoughts:

'Report to the First Division barracks as soon as possible. Further briefing will be provided on arrival.'

Starrk yawned and stretched as the butterfly awoke him. 'What could they want now?' he thought. He grabbed Lilynette who was leaning up against a tree and holstered her on his sash.

'Alright, let's get this over with.'

On Sokyoku Hill, Baraggan was in the middle of his third combat drill with his squad. They were certainly becoming fearsome warriors quickly, despite (although perhaps due to) Baraggan's unorthodox methods. The Hell butterfly landed on his shoulder, transmitting the message.

'Hmph. As if further tedium wasn't expected. Fine, I shall indulge him.'

A Hell butterfly flew through the window of the Tenth Division's dining hall as Matsumoto and Halibel were enjoying afternoon tea. It landed on the back of Halibel's hand as she was about to have another sip.

"Ooh, what does it say?" asked Matsumoto.

"Nothing, now if you'll excuse me," Halibel replied.

Ulquiorra encounters Denkihime once more in the Sixth Division barracks. He doesn't acknowledge her presence until she approaches him and asks: "How's your investigative work going?"

"Not very well. His subordinates seem to have been kept in the dark, and most people refuse to talk to me around the other districts. It's almost as if I hit a tripwire that silenced everyone. Killing Tsuzuru has certainly complicated things."

"I'm sorry. I really should have been more careful," she said timidly.

"Please, you didn't shove a tanto through his gut. Don't try to bear any responsibility for his death. My recklessness caused that and nothing more. Now I'm paying the price."

The Hell butterfly landed on his shoulder as he finished his explanation. He silently nodded and began walking out of the barracks.

"Wait! What was the message?"

"The Captain Commander has requested my, as well as my former comrade's, presence in the First Division barracks, though I am unsure of the reason."

"Oh… Well, whatever it is, be careful!"

'Careful?' he thought, 'Now why is she choosing such odd words? Never mind, it's best not bothered.'

In the Fourth Division's infirmary, Nnoitra and Grimmjow had recently woken up from their comatose state. Luckily, all their injuries were able to be healed before they awoke.

"How long were we out?" asked Grimmjow.

"Three hours short of three days. Both of you were covered in lacerations and bruises that went as deep as the bones. Solely do I encounter cases in which my full healing power is needed," answered Captain Unohana.

"Best fight I've seen in years, but I can't afford for you two to go at it again like that," added Kenpachi.

Two Hell butterflies slipped through the hallways and into Grimmjow's and Nnoitra's beds. Each of them landed on the recovering combatant's noses.

"Wh-What the hell is this?" yelled Nnoitra.

Kenpachi replied, "It's a Hell butterfly, they-"

"I know what it is, dumbass. I meant why are there orders for us to assemble in the First Division barracks?"

"Us?"

"He means us former espada, Kenpachi," said Grimmjow.

Nnoitra hopped out of his bed and holstered his zanpakutou. "Well, we'd best get going. My ass was getting sore from lying down so long."

"You should rest more, or at least take it easy for a while," chimed Isane.

"Oh, but that's not my style. Besides, it's looking like I don't have much of a choice in the matter."

* * *

The former espada arrived and congregated outside of the First Division barracks at approximately the same time. Nnoitra kicked open the doors and yelled, "We're here!"

'I thought dealing with street urchins was annoying. This reminds me why I should enjoy my job,' thought Ulquiorra.

"I'm glad to see you're cheerful and willing to serve, but calm it with the theatrics, Nnoitra-san," replied Yamamoto. "As you know, the strange occurrence with the massive hollow invasion, as well as the isolated cases with Grimmjow's encounter and the results of Kurotsuchi's subsequent research, has caused some turbulence and trepidation among our ranks. A special team has been assembled from the ranks of the 12th division to go on an expedition into Hueco Mundo and investigate Las Noches. An anonymous member of the team handed me a letter that requested the assistance of the six of you explicitly."

"That makes enough sense. The six of us are quite capable of fending of multitudes of hollows and we know the landscape well enough after years of living there," added Starrk.

"Glorified bodyguards, huh? Tch, beats sitting on our asses all day," mumbled Grimmjow.

"One question, Genryuusai-dono: while the research team's courage is rather admirable for embarking to such a dangerous locale as Hueco Mundo, is it really necessary that a research team specifically has to be the one to investigate such a case? Isn't it possibly more reasonable for us or another, stronger squad to journey across the landscape and record our findings?" asked Halibel.

"I am afraid it is just the ambition and will of Kurotsuchi's men. He and his squad just happened to be the ones to volunteer for this job first. Whatever they do is for the sake of Soul Society. They understand that going into such a situation," answered Yamamoto. "Either way, your orders are to report to the 12th division barracks, go to the 2nd basement floor, and follow orders given to you by Kurotsuchi."

"Why did the message tell us to come here first if Kurotsuchi's the one that needs us?" Nnoitra snidely remarked.

"Summoning any group of shinigami that contains a captain requires my authority. You'd best remember that, Nnoitra-san."

"Fine, fine, we're leaving. Catch you later, Ojii-sama," Nnoitra said as he winked.

As the doors to Yamamoto's office closed, Yamamoto yelled, "Know your place, boy! Don't think you can get away with that kind of attitude!"

"Heheh, I'll never get tired of fuckin' with the whole 'rank and file' mindset here."

* * *

The footsteps of the six espada echoed throughout the dim-lit halls of the 12th division barracks. Fastidious researcher shinigami shuffled through the halls with them, ignoring the espada's presence. They arrived at a cargo elevator that direly needed maintenance and took it to the 2nd basement floor. A garganta had already been opened, the research team on the verge of departing.

"You're not thinking of going without us are you?" asked Baraggan.

"We're not really in a position to object, are we? It matters not; just remember not to get in our way," said Akon.

Baraggan flinched. 'Such insolence,' he thought.

The team consisted of Akon, Hiyosu, Rin, and the messenger. The team and the espada wasted no time in diving into the garganta. The researchers insisted on walking, however.

"Going through a garganta without being a hollow takes a while, you know that, right?" reminded Starrk.

"It would take a while, if we didn't already have a portal opened up at the terminus. While both doors are active, the bridge is much narrower," Rin noted.

"Who is holding the other end open?" Starrk asked.

"Take a wild guess," said Akon.

Kurotsuchi stared into the terminus garganta, remarking "finally, you all decided to start your pleasant little stroll into the field."

The terminus opened up to a collapsed structure close to Las Noches. As the research team and espada exited the garganta, Kurotsuchi gave the espada a bewildered stare. "And what do you six think you're doing here?" he asked.

"Kurotsuchi-taichou, we were given orders by the Captain-Commander on your behalf to assist your team," Ulquiorra replied.

"Hmph, Nonsense. I gave no such order."

The six espada widened their eyes in shock. "Strange," Baraggan remarked, "then that means…"

"Already a step ahead of you, espada. There is treachery afoot. There's no telling if the traitor is in our midst as we speak, or if he is back in soul society causing havoc. One thing is for certain, though. This research expedition is much more perilous than originally intended, which means the fighting prowess of you espada is actually needed now. Nevertheless, we cannot leave without investigating Las Noches," Kurotsuchi orated. He suddenly became much more enthusiastic, to the point of mania "So, all of you make haste! We must not waste any time dithering about!"

CHAPTER 16: END


End file.
